A tragic collision occurred early this morning on M-66, resulting in the death of a 61-year-old motorcyclist. Michigan State Police have reported that the incident was caused by a collision with a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old, just after the teen pulled out of a service station near M-66 and Grand River Avenue. FOX 17 indicated that the motorcycle was unable to stop in time and hit the rear of the slower moving vehicle.
During the incident that took place around 6:35 a.m., and as reported by WOODTV, the motorcyclist, whose name has not been immediately released, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The teenage driver sustained minor injuries after having been involved in the crash that killed the motorcyclist.
Following the crash, the northbound lanes of M-66 south of Ionia were shut down for several hours, causing significant traffic disruptions. According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, the lanes were reopened by 10:25 a.m. WZZM 13 highlighted that first responders attempted life-saving measures, but unfortunately, these efforts were unsuccessful.
The ongoing investigation by Michigan State Police into the circumstances of the crash remains active. Early reports suggest that the teen driver might have misjudged the distance or speed of the oncoming motorcycle before pulling out of the service station.
