One person was critically injured and another suffered minor injuries after a driver ran a stop sign at Myers Lake Avenue and 17 Mile Road Wednesday morning.

According to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the four-vehicle crash occurred Wednesday, August 4, at 6:13 a.m.  Their investigation showed that a Chrysler van was northbound on Myers Lake Ave N.E. when it failed to stop at the stop sign at 17 Mile Rd, and struck a Dodge Avenger attempting to turn southbound on Myers Lake Ave N.E. from westbound 17 Mile Rd N.E. The Chrysler van also struck a Buick passenger car that was westbound on 17 Mile Rd N.E. A southbound Ford pickup truck that was stopped at the stop sign at the intersection was also struck.

The driver of the Chrysler van, a 56-year-old female from Rockford, was transported to Spectrum Butterworth Hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the Buick passenger car, a 27-year-old male from Sidney, was transported to Spectrum Butterworth Hospital in critical condition. The drivers of the Dodge Avenger and Ford pickup truck were not injured.

Courtland Fire Department and Rockford Ambulance assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.

Police suspect that alcohol was involved in a crash that occurred in Solon Township last weekend.

According to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, it happened about 10:55 p.m. on Friday, January 24, on 18 Mile Rd near Algoma Ave NE. A 39-year-old man from Cedar Springs was traveling westbound on Algoma when the vehicle he was driving went off the roadway and struck a tree.

The man was pinned inside his car, and Solon Fire, with mutual aid from Cedar Springs Fire, extricated the man from the vehicle. He was then transported to Spectrum Hospital for treatment for some minor injuries. 

Police are waiting on lab tests before sending this to the prosecutor’s office for review.

The Montcalm County Sheriff’s Office was sent to a one-car crash near the intersection of Grow and Kroman Roads in Fairplain Township at approximately 2:06 P.M. on Sunday, September 29, 2019. The passenger died as a result of injuries sustained during the crash.

The investigation revealed that a black 2008 Pontiac G6 was traveling south on Grow road when the driver, Randy A. Wilson, age 36 from Stanton, lost control on wet roads. The Pontiac left the road to the left where it overturned multiple times. The passenger, Krista L. Kinyon age 35 from Stanton, was ejected from the vehicle. Kinyon was pronounced dead at the scene and Wilson was transported to United Memorial Hospital in Greenville for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Kinyon was not wearing her seatbelt.

The rain and wet roads were a contributing factor in the crash.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Greenville Department of Public Safety, Montcalm County Emergency Medical Services, Sheridan Fire Department, Montcalm County Road Commission, and the medical examiner’s office.

The crash remains under investigation.

This minivan crossed to the opposite side of Main Street and hit a light pole Wednesday. Courtesy Photo.

By Judy Reed

A driver who had allegedly been huffing a can of Dust Off crashed into a power pole on Main Street early Wednesday afternoon, November 14.

According to Sgt. Todd Probst, with the Kent County Sheriff Department, the crash occurred about 2:16 p.m. He said that the female driver of a minivan was heading northbound on S. Main and had just passed Cherry Street when her vehicle crossed the centerline, proceeded across the southbound lane, and then jumped the curb and hit a light pole. No one was on the sidewalk at the time. 

The driver reportedly told police that she had blacked out, and admitted to huffing a can of Dust Off prior to the crash. 

Probst said just prior to the crash, at 1:57 p.m., they had a report of a reckless driver in a minivan on Northland Drive near 16 Mile Rd that was reportedly stopped and facing the wrong way in one of the lanes. When officers arrived, the vehicle was gone, and then they got the crash call and came to the scene. “We think it was probably the same vehicle,” he said.

The woman was not injured. She was arrested and lodged in the Kent County Correctional Facility. She is expected to be arraigned Thursday. Her name is being withheld until after arraignment.

Opal Fugitt. Facebook photo.

A Greenville woman died last Friday after a crash at the intersection of Northland Drive and 14 Mile Rd.

According to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred about 8:30 p.m. September 7. A 2010 Ford Escape driven by Opal Fugitt, 74, of Greenville, was headed south on Northland Drive in the left hand turn lane to head east on 14 Mile, and a 2003 Honda CRV, driven by Joshua Lange, 28, of Cedar Springs, was headed northbound on Northland Drive, when the two vehicles collided in the intersection.

Both drivers were taken to the hospital by ambulance with apparent broken bones. Mrs. Fugitt later died at the hospital.

Police said neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be a factor. Courtland Township Fire Department and Rockford Ambulance both assisted at the scene.

A new left turn light was recently installed at that intersection. The Post asked police whether Mrs. Fugitt had a green arrow to turn, but they said the crash itself and cause are still under investigation.

Photo credit: Steven C. Reed

By Judy Reed

Monday did not start out well for this driver. 

According to the Michigan State Police Post Rockford, a truck driver was heading westbound on Belding Road while hauling a trailer shortly before 9:40 a.m. Monday, August 6, when he turned south on Wolverine Blvd (Northland Drive) and the trailer overturned and broke free from the truck.

No one was injured in the crash.

Thanks to Steven Reed for sending us this photo!

This crash in Ensley Township sent three people to the hospital. Photo from woodtv.com.

A rollover crash in Ensley Township sent three people to the hospital Sunday afternoon. 

The crash occurred around 5 p.m. Sunday, May 13, at the corner of 104 Street and Cypress Avenue.

A jeep headed west on 104^th reportedly ran the stop sign and hit a southbound pickup truck, causing it to roll. 

One of the drivers was ejected and suffered a head injury. Both that driver and the other driver were transported to the hospital in critical condition. A passenger in one of the vehicles was also sent to the hospital. 

The crash is still under investigation.

Two people were sent to the hospital Wednesday after a pickup truck and SUV collided on M-57 in front of Courtland Township Hall shortly before noon.

According to the Michigan State Police, a black pickup truck driven by an unnamed male was traveling eastbound on M-57 when he crossed the centerline and hit a Chevy Trailblazer head on.

Both the driver of the pickup truck, and the unnamed female driver of the SUV were sent to Butterworth Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Courtland Fire assisted at the scene.

No other information was available at press time.

The father of a young Marine who died earlier this month in a crash on 14 Mile Road has died of injuries he sustained in the crash.

 Jerry Kinsey, 48, of Sand Lake, died on Friday, January 19 at Spectrum Butterworth Hospital. He was injured in a crash on Thursday, January 4, on 14 Mile Rd, west of Wabasis Ave. According to the Michigan State Police Rockford Post, the investigation showed that an eastbound vehicle driven by Joseph Hanna, 39, of Sparta, tried to pass a vehicle driven by Kinsey, and the two vehicles collided. The collision resulted in both vehicles losing control and Kinsey’s vehicle spinning into the westbound lane, where it was struck by a van driven by Gail Gansmiller, 48, of Sheridan. 

The passenger in Kinsey’s vehicle, his 20-year-old son, Joel Kinsey, of Sand Lake, was killed, and Jerry Kinsey was transported to Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids in critical condition.  

Hanna was arrested the same day on an unrelated charge. He was charged with violating the controlled substance act, and as a habitual offender. He bonded out the next day.

No charges have been brought yet related to the crash.

David Keith Verduin

A man died Sunday after his car left the road and hit a tree in Tyrone Township.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, the crash occurred about 5:37 p.m. Sunday, January 14. The investigation showed that David Keith Verduin, 49, of Tyrone Township, was eastbound on 18 Mile Road, just west of Tyrone Avenue, when his 1997 Honda Civic left the roadway, struck a ditch, and then a large tree.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police believe alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash. They do not know if he was wearing his seatbelt.

Assisting at the scene was Kent City Fire Department and Rockford Ambulance.

Aaron Dault, 23, died early Sunday, when the car he was driving left the roadway and struck a tree. Facebook photo.

Aaron Dault takes the ball upfield for Cedar Springs Varsity Soccer in 2010. Post file photo.

A 23-year-old Solon Township man died early Sunday morning in a one-car crash on White Creek Avenue.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, the crash occurred about 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning on White Creek Avenue, between 18 Mile and Wiersma, when the car that Aaron Lee Dault was driving veered off the roadway and struck a tree. Police reported that he died instantly. 

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and police are investigating whether alcohol was a factor.

Aaron Dault, 23. Facebook photo.

Aaron is the son of Dean and Kara (Wiles) Dault, of Solon Township.

Aaron graduated from Cedar Springs High School in 2013, where he played varsity soccer and track. He was currently finishing his bachelor’s degree at Ferris State University. Aaron was also involved at his church, St. John Paul II Catholic Church here in Cedar Springs. According to his obituary, “he was adored by the parishioners and everyone he met. He will be remembered for his million dollar smile, holding the door open, and saying ‘hi’ to the people as they came for Mass.”

Click here to see Aaron’s obituary.

Two women were sent to the hospital Saturday after the car they were riding in left the roadway and struck a tree. 

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, the crash occurred on 10 Mile Rd, east of N. Division Ave., at about noon on Saturday, December 30. 

Police reported that Kathleen Busalacchi, 55, of Cannon Township, was driving her silver 2005 Nissan Xterra westbound on 10 Mile Rd when she lost control of her vehicle. It then left the roadway and struck a tree. 

Busalacchi suffered a possible broken ankle. The front seat passenger, Geraldine Kurzynski, 77, of Cannon Township, suffered serious injuries. They were both transported by Rockford Ambulance to Butterworth Hospital. 

Both parties were wearing seatbelts. Alcohol was not a factor.

Algoma Fire and Sparta Fire also assisted at the scene.