.png)
Submitted photo
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
SHERMAN TOWNSHIP — Multiple vehicles were involved in a chain-reaction crash near the intersection of US 31 and Millerton Road Tuesday morning that resulted in the highway being shut down for a few hours.
Emergency responders were called to the scene at 10:04 a.m.
According to emergency personnel on scene, the crash occurred as a result of a flatbed truck driver who failed to slow down for a turning vehicle. Michigan State Police Trooper Matt Demny said a semi-truck and trailer was northbound on US 31 and preparing to make a lefthand turn (west) onto Millerton Road.
Demni said witnesses stated the gravel truck was traveling at a slow rate of speed and properly signaling to turn.
Behind the gravel truck were four vehicles, also heading north: A 2022 GMC Yukon, driven by a 42-year-old Muskegon woman; followed by a 2019 Jeep Compass, driven by a 43-year-old Ludington man (an off duty Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers); a 2019 F-250, hauling an empty 20-foot enclosed trailer, driven by a 70-year-old Fremont man with a 42-year-old male passenger, also from Fremont; and a 2016 International flatbed truck, loaded with lumber, driven by a 54-year-old Ludington man. The three lead vehicles, the Yukon, Compass and F-250 were all slowing down and preparing to stop for the gravel truck, Demni said.
Demni said the flatbed truck hauling lumber, which is owned by Carter Lumber, failed to slow down and rear-ended the Ford F-250, causing a chain of events.
Submitted photo
The flatbed truck completely destroyed the 20-foot trailer, running it over, and then rammed into the bed of the pickup truck, causing the pickup to then rear-end into the Jeep Compass, and thus, causing the Compass to hit the back of the GMC Yukon. The Yukon did not make contact with the gravel truck.
“Amazingly, we only had one person injured and his injuries appear to be minor,” Demni said. The driver of the Carter Lumber flatbed truck was transported to Corewell Health Ludington Hospital by ambulance.
The crash caused massive damage with scattered lumber and debris, along with vehicle parts, on the roadway.
“We are very thankful to the responders but also the Mason County Road Commission and Larsen’s Landscaping who each sent equipment to assist on the scene,” Demni said.
Demni said the driver of the flatbed lumber truck would be cited for failing to stop at a clear and assured distance.
The highway was closed between Sugar Grove and Fountain roads for about two hours.
Emergency units on scene included Michigan State Police, Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Scottville Fire Department, Custer Fire Department, Grant Township Fire Department, Free Soil/Meade Fire Department and Life EMS. Also assisting on scene were Mason County Road Commission, Abrahamson Towing, Oceana Auto towing, Fier’s Towing, and personnel from Carter Lumber and Larsen’s Landscaping.
____________________
Please Support Local News
Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news.
The easiest way is to sign up for an automatic monthly payment on Paypal. Click this link.
Alternative methods:
- We can send you an invoice for a yearly payment of $120, which you can conveniently pay online or by check. If you are interested in this method, please email editor@mediagroup31.com and we can sign you up. You can also mail a yearly check for $120 to Media Group 31, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454 (please include your email address).
We appreciate all our readers regardless of whether they choose to continue to access our service for free or with a monthly financial support.
If you would like to support MCP/OCP but do not wish to receive daily emails, please consider sending a contribution to any of the above methods or pay by Venmo (@masoncountypress).
_____
This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2024, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.
As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.
Please consider helping to fund local news. Mason County Press and Oceana County Press are available for free thanks to the generous support of our advertisers and individuals. Three ways to help us: Venmo: @MasonCountyPress; Paypal: MasonCountyPress@gmail.com; Mail a check to PO BOX 21, Scottville, MI 49454.
.jpg)
