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Man, 47, dead after semi-trucks crash in Ionia County

Posted at 10:47 AM, Apr 05, 2017
and last updated 2017-04-05 22:20:52-04

SARANAC, Mich. — A 47-year-old truck driver is dead after a crash in Ionia County Wednesday morning.

The crash happened about 10:30 a.m. at M-21 and Hawley Highway.

The Ionia County Sheriff's Office says that a pickup truck pulled out in front of a semi-truck hauling wheat. The driver of that semi-truck swerved to avoid the pickup and ended up in the path of another semi-truck.

The driver of the second truck, Anthony Nunez, of Hudsonville, died in the crash.

The driver of the pick-up truck, a 40-year-old Saranac woman, and her 18-year-old son were taken to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries, officials said.

Neighbors in the area say that intersection has been a dangerous one for years.

"Well this is a dangerous corner and it has been for years," says Roger Kimble who lives at the corner and witnessed the crash. "Basically just what happened this lady in the red pick up truck came down the hill and when you come down the hill to stop at this stop sign you can’t see anything coming from the east."

According to Michigan Traffic Crash Facts, there have been 19 crashes at and near that intersection between January 2010 and December 2015. According to the site, none of the incidents were fatal.

The crash caused damage to a power pole, leaving about 500 people without electricity. Crews were called in to restore power to those customers.

That section of the road was re-opened shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday night.

The crash remains under investigation.