A 74-year-old Eaton Rapids man was killed Monday after his motorcycle slammed into a pickup truck that pulled into his path at the rural intersection of South Clinton Trail and East Bellevue Highway. Troopers say the crash happened in the afternoon, and the rider was rushed to a Lansing hospital, where he later died. The pickup driver was not injured.
State police: motorcycle struck pickup after it pulled into traffic
Troopers from the Michigan State Police Lansing post were called to the intersection around 3:50 p.m. Monday. According to a preliminary investigation, the motorcyclist was traveling north on South Clinton Trail when a 2026 GMC Sierra pulled from East Bellevue Highway into his path. The motorcycle, a 2010 Harley-Davidson, hit the pickup, and the rider was taken to UM Health-Sparrow in Lansing, where he later died. The pickup’s driver, also 74, was not hurt, according to WILX.
Police urge drivers to look twice for riders
The crash remains under investigation, and authorities say alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors. In a news release, state police used the fatal collision to remind drivers that motorcycles can be easy to miss in traffic. "Because motorcycles are smaller and harder to see, drivers should check blind spots, look twice before turning or changing lanes, and allow additional space," the agency said, as reported by the Lansing State Journal.
Where the rider was treated
The motorcyclist was taken to UM Health-Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, which serves as the primary emergency center for the area. The hospital operates the region’s main emergency departments along with other critical care services, according to UM Health-Sparrow.
Michigan State Police say the investigation is ongoing and ask anyone with information about the crash to contact the Lansing post. Authorities also used the wreck as a renewed warning to drivers to be alert for motorcycles as warm-weather riding picks up, the Lansing State Journal reports.
