2 injured during U.S. 31 crash

GRANT TWP. — Icy conditions are being blamed for a crash on North U.S. 31 Tuesday night. Two people were transported to the hospital following the crash that occurred around 6:30 p.m. just south of Forest Trail Road.

The crash occurred when the 68-year-old male driver of a Ford pickup truck lost control of the truck while heading north on U.S. 31, according to Mason County Sheriff’s Deputy Derrek Wilson.

Grant Township Fire Chief Ron Melchert said the driver told him that he took his foot off the accelerator while heading up the hill and he realized that the truck was on black ice. The truck then went into the path of a Jeep Cherokee.

The 65-year-old male driver of the Cherokee was trapped in the vehicle. The fire department used rescue tools to extricate her. He and the 65-year-old female passenger from the pickup were both transported by Life EMS ambulance to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital. However, Melchert said they both appeared to have non life-threatening injuries. The driver of the truck was not injured. All involved were Mason County residents.

In addition to Grant Township Fire Department and Life EMS, responding to the scene were Free Soil/Meade Fire Department, Mason County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police.

U.S. 31 was closed for about 30 minutes, and traffic diverted, while rescuers extricated and attended to the patients. All rescue personnel cleared by 7:45 p.m. U.S. 31 remained icy south to U.S. 10. However, Melchert reported a Mason County Road Commission truck was in the vicinity of the crash.

This story will be updated when more information is received.