A 78-year-old Pewamo resident has died after an ATV and a passenger vehicle collided at the intersection of M-21 (East Blue Water Highway) and Cook Road in Lyons Township just after 2 p.m. on Sunday, according to deputies.
The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office said the ATV rider was thrown from the vehicle when it was hit, and was later pronounced dead at a Grand Rapids hospital. Emergency crews, including an air ambulance, responded to the scene as traffic moved past the crash site.
According to the sheriff’s office, as reported by FOX 17, the ATV crossed into the path of a westbound vehicle on M-21. Officials have identified the operator only as a 78-year-old Pewamo resident and noted that the rider was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.
WILX reported that AeroMed airlifted the rider to Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, where they later died. The Pewamo Fire Department, Life Ambulance Services and Rueh’s Towing also assisted at the scene, according to the station.
Deputies have not released the rider’s name and did not immediately say whether the driver of the passenger vehicle was injured.
ATVs Are Risky On Public Roads
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission cautions that ATVs can be unstable on paved roads and that crashes involving passenger vehicles carry a high risk of serious injury or death. The CPSC urges riders to stay off public roads, wear helmets and follow manufacturer safety instructions, a reminder that hits especially hard when a community loses one of its own.
Investigation Continues
The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office says the crash remains under investigation, with detectives reviewing factors including right-of-way and visibility at the time of the impact. As the inquiry continues, FOX 17 reported that the sheriff’s office released images from the scene in its initial media update.
For now, officials are keeping details limited while they work to piece together exactly how a routine Sunday ride ended in tragedy.
