Jessica Mathews : “Fatal Motorcycle Crash: Deerfield Township Tragedy”

26th May 2024

By Emily Watson / news@whmi.com

A motorcyclist who was gravely injured in a collision within a construction zone on Tuesday afternoon in Deerfield Township has tragically passed away due to the severity of his injuries, as confirmed by family members.

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office received a distress call around 1:30 pm regarding a collision between a transit van and a motorcycle on Argentine Road near Sedge Lane.

Initial investigations indicate that at the time of the incident, road construction work on Argentine Road had resulted in the closure of the roadway to a single lane. Traffic in the area was being directed by flaggers stationed at each end of the construction zone.

Reports from the Sheriff’s Office state that a 2021 Harley Davidson Street Glide motorcycle had come to a stop in the roadway as instructed by a construction flagger. While the motorcycle was stationary, it was struck from behind by a 2019 Ford Transit van.

The motorcyclist, a 69-year-old man from Fenton, sustained serious injuries and was promptly transported to Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc by Livingston County EMS in a critical condition. It was noted that the motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. The driver of the Ford Transit van, a 45-year-old man from Southgate, was wearing his seat belt and emerged unharmed.

The Sheriff’s Office has indicated that distracted driving is believed to have played a role in causing the crash. The road was closed for approximately four hours to facilitate investigations and clean-up operations.

Assistance at the scene was provided by personnel from Hartland Area Fire Authority and Livingston County EMS.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Safety Bureau.