Two people have died after a crash in Oakfield Township Friday afternoon.
Michigan State Police say the crash happened after 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 30 on M-57 and Lappley Avenue NE. The stretch of 14 Mile Road between Harvard and Wabasis Avenue was closed for about five hours Friday.
13 ON YOUR SIDE is told the crash involved three different vehicles: an ambulance, semi-truck and SUV.
The preliminary investigation reveals the SUV was slowing down on the road when it was hit from the back by a double-trailer semi.
Both the driver and passenger in the SUV died on the scene, and 13 ON YOUR SIDE is told that the victims were an elderly couple from Greenville.
The initial crash caused the SUV to slide into another lane, colliding with an ambulance, investigators say. The ambulance then fell onto its side.
Officials say the ambulance was not loaded.
The drivers from the semi and ambulance suffered minor injuries.
Michigan State Police is urging drivers to stay vigilant on this road, abiding by the speed limit and limiting distractions.
"I can say that this road is a dangerous stretch. I think the speed a lot of times is a factor along with weather," Sgt. Casey Trucks says. "We're standing in a cornfield right now. So sometimes animals can get out into the roadway. We have made some efforts to try to slow traffic down to make sure we're monitoring distracted driving. And we can make sure that we're all doing our part to avoid those."
Police say that M-57 between Harvard Avenue and Wabasis Avenue has reopened.
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