Troopers from the Michigan State Police Rockford Post are investigating a fatal traffic crash that occurred on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, at 6:12 p.m. at the intersection of 17 Mile Road and Sparta Avenue in Tyrone Township, Michigan.  

Preliminary investigation showed that a 2003 Pontiac Vibe entered the intersection from northbound Sparta Avenue and failed to yield to a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse traveling west on 17 Mile Road causing a collision. The impact forced the two vehicles off the roadway striking a utility pole in the northwest corner of the intersection. 

An 18-year-old male inside the Pontiac Vibe was pronounced deceased on scene.  

A second passenger in the Pontiac Vibe was transported to Butterworth Hospital via Aero Med and in critical condition. A third passenger sustained serious injuries. The driver was transported to the Butterworth Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. All the occupants inside the Pontiac Vibe were from Sand Lake, Michigan. 

The Chevrolet Traverse that was traveling west on 17 Mile Road was also occupied by four occupants. All occupants were transported to Butterworth Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. They are all from Kent City, Michigan. 

The crash is under investigation. Alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor.  

Michigan State Police Rockford Post personnel were assisted on scene by Kent City Fire Department, LIFE EMS Ambulance, Spectrum Health Aero Med, Sparta Township Fire Department, Rockford Ambulance, Michigan Department of Transportation, and Consumers Energy.

The names of the victims in the crash were not available at press time.

A Kent City man died on Saturday, June 1 when another driver ran a stop sign in Tyrone Township.

According to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Thomas Longcore, 74, of Kent City, was traveling northbound on Peach Ridge about 3:50 p.m. in a 2015 Ford Fusion when a 2006 Chevy Impala traveling eastbound on 21 Mile Rd failed to yield at the stop sign and struck Longcore’s vehicle. Longcore was pronounced dead at the scene.

The at fault driver, identified as Joseph Harvatich, 33, of White Cloud, suffered minor injuries and refused treatment at the scene.

Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash, and it remains under investigation. Personnel from both Kent City Fire and Rescue and Rockford Ambulance assisted at the scene.

Two people were injured in this crash at 13 Mile Rd and Alpine Avenue in Sparta Township on Friday, October 12. Photo from woodtv.com.

Two were sent to the hospital last Friday, October 12, after a crash involving a car, a jeep, and a Road Commission truck in Sparta Township.

According to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred about 10:44 a.m. The investigation revealed that a 2000 Toyota driven by John Vanbaren, 30, of Grand Rapids, was facing northbound at the stop sign on Alpine Ave at 13 Mile Rd. He pulled out in front of an eastbound 2018 Jeep Cherokee driven by Amber Morton, 23, of Sparta who had the right of way. The Toyota was struck on the driver’s side and pushed into a Kent County Road Commission vehicle that was stationary on west bound 13 Mile Rd waiting to turn southbound on to Alpine Ave.

The driver of the Toyota was transported to St. Mary’s by Rockford Ambulance with serious injuries. The driver of the Jeep was also transported to St. Mary’s by Rockford Ambulance with minor injuries.

Both drivers were belted. Alcohol and speed were not a factor.

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.

A motorcyclist was sent to the hospital with serious injuries after a crash in Oakland Township Wednesday.

According to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred on Wednesday, September 12, at about 11:19 a.m. at the intersection of Wabasis Ave NE and Holmden Dr NE.

Police said that a minivan, driven by Marie Lorraine Meyer, 41, of Rockford, was making a left turn off Holmden Dr on to southbound Wabasis, when a northbound motorcycle struck the minivan. 

The driver of the motorcycle, Brandon Alexander Gutierrez, 27, of Belding, sustained serious injuries, but they were not considered life-threatening. He was wearing a helmet.

Two minor passengers in the minivan sustained minor injuries and were sent to the hospital to be checked out. The driver of the minivan was not injured.

The crash remains under investigation. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor.

The Kent County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by Rockford Ambulance, Oakfield and Courtland Fire Departments.

A Cedar Springs woman was critically injured last Thursday when her vehicle was hit from behind by another vehicle.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, the crash occurred on Thursday, August 16, about 6:47 p.m. in the 15000 block of Algoma Avenue, in Solon Township.

The investigation showed that a 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada, driven by Cynthia DeLoof, 42, of Newaygo, was traveling northbound on Algoma when her vehicle collided with a 2008 Chrysler 300, also traveling northbound. Witnesses reported that the Chrysler, driven by Lila DeLine, 36, of Cedar Springs, had slowed or stopped on the roadway preparing to turn and was rear-ended by the at fault vehicle.

The driver of the Chrysler was transported by ambulance to the hospital in critical condition. The driver of the at-fault vehicle refused medical treatment at the scene. Alcohol was not a factor in the accident. 

The Kent County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Solon Township Fire Department and Rockford Ambulance.

Post photo by J. Reed.

Post photo by J. Reed.

By Judy Reed

An elderly Grand Rapids couple was injured Wednesday after their vehicle ran a stop sign and was hit by another vehicle at Edgerton and 14 Mile Road.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, they were called to the scene of the crash at 5:20 p.m. August 8. 

The investigation showed that a Ford Focus, driven by an 83-year-old Grand Rapids woman, was traveling northbound on Edgerton and failed to stop at the sign at 14 Mile Road. A Ford Taurus, occupied by a Cedar Springs couple, was traveling westbound on 14 Mile Rd, and hit the Focus in the passenger side.

Both the 83-year-old woman and her passenger, a 90-year-old male, were transported to Spectrum Butterworth Hospital by Rockford Ambulance with possible internal injuries.

The male driver of the Taurus complained of a wrist injury, and his wife complained of a possible ankle injury. They went to Spectrum United Hospital in Greenville by private transport to be checked out. 

Algoma Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene.

Firefighters work to put out a fire at RMS Refrigeration last Friday, August 3. Post photo by J. Reed.

By Judy Reed

The last thing Lt. Jason Clauser of the Algoma Fire Department expected to see when he crested the hill on White Creek Avenue between Russell Road and 14 Mile about 6:30 p.m. last Friday, August 3, was smoke and flames from a business there.

“It was kind of a unique situation,” he explained. “I was driving by and saw some black smoke and then saw flames from the east side of the building,” he said, referring to a storage facility used by RMS Refrigeration, an HVAC contractor at 11800 White Creek Avenue.

Clauser called it in, and was in charge at the scene when other units arrived. There were seven fire departments at the scene. Assisting Algoma was Cedar Springs Fire, Rockford Fire, Solon Fire, Grattan Fire, Courtland Fire, and Sparta Fire. Rockford Ambulance was also on scene if needed.

Clauser said the fire started on the east side and got up into the roof and rafters. “When it got into the ceiling it got into the insulation so we had to pull the ceiling down because the tiniest spark could cause it to rekindle,” he explained. They also had to tear off some of the siding from the outside.

The cause of the fire was undetermined.

After first arriving, Clauser said they cut open the door and were able to back out a work truck from the facility. “The owner was super grateful for that because it enabled his business to keep functioning,” he said.

Clauser said they cleared the scene by about 10 p.m.

A man died Wednesday when his van was struck by another vehicle at the corner of 13 Mile and Pine Island. Post photo by L. Allen.

by Judy Reed

One person died and three others were injured in a crash Wednesday afternoon, August 1, after two vehicles collided at the intersection of 13 Mile Rd and Pine Island in Algoma Township.

According to the Kent County Sheriff Department, a 1998 Ford Contour, driven by Nancy Cuellar, 58, of the City of Wyoming, was stopped on eastbound 13 Mile Rd, waiting to turn left on to Pine Island. She then began to make her turn and struck a westbound 2011 Ford Van driven by Todd Carlson, of Casnovia. The van left the roadway and rolled several times and landed facedown in a ditch.

The driver of the van was pinned in the vehicle. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Cuellar and two young female passengers, ages 8 and 5, were transported by Rockford Ambulance to Spectrum Butterworth Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Both Algoma and Sparta Fire and Rescue responded to the scene. Aero Med was called but later told to stand down when Mr. Carlson passed away. The investigation is ongoing and it is unknown if alcohol or drugs were involved at this time.

This crash occurred at 15 Mile and Shaner Ave on Sunday, July 8, when a motor home hit a Volvo. Photo courtesy of Ron Parker.

By Judy Reed

There were two crashes in just over 48 hours at a rural intersection in Courtland Township this week.

The first crash occurred at 15 Mile Rd and Shaner Ave on Sunday, July 8, at about 12:25 p.m. According to Deputy Tim Essig, with traffic and safety at the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred when an 80-year-old from Whitmore Lake, Michigan, who was traveling westbound on 15 Mile Rd, ran the stop sign at Shaner Avenue and collided with a Volvo station wagon driven a by a 52-year-old from Grand Rapids. Neither driver was injured.

This crash occurred at 15 Mile and Shaner Ave on Tuesday, July 10, when a Ford Focus ran the stop sign and was hit by a Dodge Ram truck. Photo courtesy of Ron Parker.

The second crash occurred on Tuesday, at 5:53 p.m. Deputy Essig said that the crash occurred when a 61-year-old woman from Grand Rapids, who was traveling eastbound on 15 Mile in a Ford Focus, failed to stop at the stop sign at Shaner Avenue and was hit by a 21-year-old Cedar Springs man driving a 2010 Dodge Ram. The drivers only suffered minor injuries. Neither were transported to the hospital. 

Both Courtland Fire and Rockford Ambulance assisted at the scenes of both crashes.

These two cars collided in a head on collision on 14 Mile Rd in front of Burger King Wednesday. Post photos by J. Reed.

At least one person was sent to the hospital by Rockford Ambulance Wednesday after two SUV’s collided head-on in front of Burger King on 14 Mile Rd in Algoma Township.

The crash occurred about 12:30 p.m.

At least one person was removed from the dark colored SUV sent to the hospital via Rockford Ambulance. 

Algoma Township Fire and Rescue and Rockford Ambulance assisted the Michigan State Police at the scene. 

No details of the crash were immediately available at press time.

Post photo by M. Kleyn.

The Solon Township Fire Department was called to the scene of a fire at 14897 Tree Valley Drive last Thursday, April 12, at 12:30 p.m. Tree Valley Drive is in the Santree Development north off 18 Mile Rd.

According to Deputy Chief Chris Paige, the fire was contained to a bedroom. The bedding, mattress and box spring were all on fire. “It appears to be electrical, but the cause is still under investigation,” said Paige.

Everyone got out of the house safely. Cedar Springs, Algoma, and Sand Lake Fire assisted. Rockford Ambulance was on medical standby.