11-year-old dies in morning crash; sister taken to GR hospital

UPDATED, 5 p.m.: BRANCH TWP. — An 11-year-old Mason County Eastern student died this morning following a single vehicle crash on U.S. 10 near Maple Road. Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole, at the scene, said the boy was a passenger in a vehicle driven by his 16-year-old sister.

Garrett Lake

Jordan Lake

Garrett Ian Lake, of Branch Township, died at the scene of the crash, today was his birthday. Sheriff Cole said emergency personnel were called to the scene at 7:44 a.m. He said the crash appeared to have been caused by ice on the road. The Chevrolet Blazer they were in was west bound, hit a patch of ice and slid to the south side of the road, striking a tree.

The driver, Jordan Lake, was taken to a Grand Rapids hospital by Aeromed helicopter ambulance. Another occupant, their sister McKenna, 13, was transported to Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital where she was being treated for minor injuries, Sheriff Sgt. John Menham said. McKenna was the front seat passenger while Garrett was riding in the back seat.

Jordan and Garrett were pinned in the vehicle and had to be freed using rescue equipment from Custer Fire Department.

Cole said MCE Superintendent Paul Shoup was called to the scene and the school will be providing grief counseling for students.

In a statement, Shoup said the school called in a crisis response team to assist. “Staff and students were notified and counselors from Community Mental Health, West Shore Educational School District and area schools were available for grief counseling,” Shoup said. A message was sent to all MCE school families to make them aware of the incident. “Counselors will continue to be available in the upcoming days.

“We lost a wonderful, loving student today who touched everyone in our school community. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.”

On scene was Mason County Sheriff’s Office, Branch and Custer fire departments, Life EMS ambulance and the sheriff’s office’s victims services unit. Pere Marquette Township Fire Department’s ladder truck was also called to assist investigators.

The children’s mother, Jennifer, is a member of Branch Fire Department.

The crash remains under investigation.