A Saginaw woman was hospitalized Thursday night after a four-vehicle crash on M-46 in Montcalm County that killed two teenagers, according to Michigan State Police.
The crash occurred at approximately 11:11 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, near Derby Road in Cato Township, just east of Six Lakes.
The Chain Collision
According to Michigan State Police, a westbound vehicle driven by a 49-year-old Grandville man rear-ended a Chevrolet Cruze occupied by two 17-year-olds.
The impact caused the Cruze to spin into the eastbound lanes of M-46. The vehicle was then struck by an eastbound Ford F-150 before being T-boned by an eastbound Chevrolet Traverse.
"Troopers from the Michigan State Police Lakeview Post are investigating a fatal crash that claimed the lives of two 17-year-olds and injured another person on M-46 near Derby Road," the MSP Sixth District said in a post on X.
The Saginaw Connection
The F-150 and the Traverse were being driven by a husband and wife from Saginaw who were traveling separately on their way home, police said.
The Saginaw woman driving the Traverse was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Police did not release information about the severity of her injuries.
Both 17-year-olds in the Cruze were pronounced dead at the scene.
Alcohol Believed to Be a Factor
Michigan State Police said alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash, according to reports from WNEM, FOX 17, and ABC 12.
Authorities have not identified any of the people involved in the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.
The driver of the initial westbound vehicle has not been arrested, and no charges have been announced as of Friday morning.
A Pattern of Deadly Crashes
This crash comes amid a string of fatal collisions across Michigan in recent days. On the same night, three people were killed in a wrong-way crash on I-96 in Ottawa County, and two others died in a wrong-way crash on I-196 near Grand Rapids.
Michigan State Police troopers from the Lakeview Post continue to investigate the Montcalm County crash.