A quiet stretch of U.S. 141 turned deadly before dawn Thursday when a two-vehicle crash near Offerman Road in Hematite Township left a 45-year-old Vulcan woman dead and a 22-year-old passenger injured, according to local authorities. Deputies said a 2020 Chevrolet Colorado crossed the centerline and slammed into a 2021 International box truck, leaving the pickup heavily damaged. The box-truck driver, a 55-year-old Felch man, was not hurt. The highway was shut down for several hours while first responders worked the scene and cleared debris, and the Iron County Sheriff’s Office says the crash remains under investigation.
What deputies reported
Sheriff Ryan Boehmke said deputies were dispatched at about 3:35 a.m. and arrived to find both vehicles still at the scene, according to The Daily News. The outlet reports the Colorado driver, a 45-year-old Vulcan woman, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 22-year-old female passenger was taken by ambulance to Aspirus Iron River for treatment. Authorities have not released either name while they notify the next of kin.
Response and road closure
According to the sheriff’s release, the Colorado crossed the centerline before striking the box truck head-on, and multiple agencies responded to the wreck, per WLUC/Upper Michigan’s Source. Amasa Fire Department, Michigan State Police, Iron County Search and Rescue, county road crews, Aspirus EMS, and MDOT all assisted at the scene. MDOT’s MiDrive listed U.S. 141 closed between Covington and Corral Road while crews worked to remove the vehicles and reopen the route.
Local crash history
That stretch of U.S. 141 through Hematite Township has seen serious crashes before. In November 2024, a two-vehicle collision on the same highway killed two people and injured two others, according to local archives. At the time, The Daily News reported that alcohol was not believed to be a factor in that earlier crash.
Investigation
In yesterday's fatal wreck, authorities say alcohol is not believed to be a factor, and investigators continue to examine the scene and vehicle evidence, local outlets report. My Up Now posted the full sheriff’s release, and the county’s sheriff page lists contact information for anyone with tips about the crash.
