A fatal incident occurred over the weekend in Florence Township, St. Joseph County, claiming two lives. According to FOX 17, the crash involved a speeding driver who lost control of his vehicle and struck an SUV head-on on Sevison Road Sunday morning. Michigan State Police identified the victims as a man and a woman from Constantine, who died from their injuries at the scene.
Further details revealed by WOODTV stated the speeding vehicle, a Mercedes, was driven by a 22-year-old man from White Pigeon who was later taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The occurrence leading to the discovery of the crash by deputies was informed by a passerby after a short chase when the driver did not stop for a traffic stop initiated for speeding.
The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office previously attempted to pull over the Mercedes on US-131 before losing sight of the driver. "We’re told the 22-year-old driver sped down the road when he lost control," MSP informed FOX 17. The crash remains under investigation as authorities work to compile a full report, eventually forwarding it to the county prosecutor for potential charges against the driver, including reckless driving causing death.
The 22-year-old driver had a history of infractions, operating the vehicle on a suspended license, and speed is believed to have been a major contributing factor in the collision, according to MLive. Both the driver and the occupants of the Ford Explorer were reportedly wearing their seat belts, and it is yet to be determined if alcohol played a role in the incident. The tragedy will be examined by local authorities, with the involvement of the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office, Constantine Fire, and Life Care EMS.
