A 62-year-old Holland woman died and three other people, including a 1-year-old boy, were hospitalized after a high-speed crash at the intersection of Butternut Drive and James Street in Holland Township. The woman was riding as a passenger in a Jeep Grand Cherokee that was struck by a GMC Acadia on Tuesday evening.
According to arcwestmichigan.com, the crash happened just before 7:15 p.m. as the Jeep was heading southbound and turning left onto James Street. Investigators said the GMC Acadia was traveling at a high rate of speed when the two vehicles collided. As reported by MLive.com, Ottawa County Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene at 7:12 p.m.
Accounts differ on the exact direction the GMC was traveling before impact. Arcwestmichigan.com reported deputies said the GMC was headed north on Butternut Drive, while Ottawa News Network reported it was traveling northwest on the same road. Either way, the two vehicles came together hard enough to leave lasting injuries among five people who had been riding in the Jeep together.
Five People Packed Into the Jeep
The Jeep carried five occupants at the time of the crash, and only one of them escaped without injury: a 22-year-old Holland man who was riding as a passenger. Everyone else inside the vehicle needed medical attention.
The Jeep's driver, a 22-year-old Holland woman, was hospitalized, as was a 1-year-old boy who had been riding along. A 62-year-old Holland man also riding in the Jeep suffered severe injuries and was airlifted to a regional hospital, per the same account from Ottawa News Network. The woman who died in the crash, also 62 and from Holland, was riding in the Jeep as well.
Acadia Driver Walked Away Unharmed
The driver of the GMC Acadia, a 36-year-old Holland woman, was not injured in the crash, the report notes. She was alone behind the wheel when the two vehicles collided at the intersection.
The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office said its investigation into the crash remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 616-738-4003.
