A head-on crash in Cass County, Michigan, recently took a life. The 18-year-old man who was killed was a passenger in one of the vehicles.
The car with the young man in the passenger’s seat was going north, and a 17-year-old was driving. For reasons that have yet to be determined, the driver lost control of that car. It went over the center line, into the southbound lanes. There, it slammed head-on into a vehicle behind driven by a 33-year-old woman. A 62-year-old woman was a passenger in that vehicle.
Multiple organizations responded to the crash, including the Michigan DNR, the Michigan Department of Transportation and fire and ambulance departments from both Newburg and Porter Township. Officials who reached the scene determined that the 18-year-old had been killed at the crash site, before he could be transported to an area hospital.
Reports show that all three people who lived through the accident were injured.
Though the investigation is still ongoing, pictures from the scene show the road half covered in snow, with slush all along the edge of the pavement. A semi truck was also involved in the incident, though it never collided with any of the vehicles. One of the cars stopped, still in the road, because the snow the semi was throwing up made it hard to see. After that car stopped, the second one slammed into it.
Ice and snow can be a huge hazard on the roads in Michigan, and drivers must drive safely, being mindful of the conditions even if that means going slower than normal. Those who lose loved ones in tragic accidents this winter need to know if they have a right to compensation when drivers are negligent and lose control of their vehicles.
Source: WNDU, “UPDATE: Police release names of those involved in fatal Cass Co. crash,” Dec. 18, 2016
