Full Notification

At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 08, 2014, officers from Fruitport Township Police Department responded to a two-car crash on S. Dangl Road between Ellis Road and E. Hile Road. The vehicles involved in the crash were a tan 1999 Ford Contour 4-door sedan and a tan 2005 Chyrsler Town and Country van.

The driver of the Town and Country van was a 62-year-old female resident of Muskegon Township. She was accompanied in the vehicle by her mother, age 85, who is also a Muskegon Township resident. They were the only occupants of this vehicle.

The driver of the Ford Contour was a 27-year-old male resident of Fruitport Township. He was the sole occupant of this vehicle.

Preliminary investigation indicates the Ford Contour was northbound on S. Dangl Road when the driver lost control of the vehicle causing it to cross over into the lane of the southbound Chrysler Town and Country van. The two vehicles collided, causing extensive damage to both involved vehicles.

Both occupants of the Town and Country van were transported from the scene by ProMed Ambulance to Hackley Hospital to be evaluated with regard to the nature and extent of their injuries. Both sustained injuries in the crash that are not believed to be life-threatening at this time.

The driver of the Ford Contour did not survive the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. This driver was identified as Dennis David-James Oakley (27-year-old Fruitport Township resident). Next-of-kin notifications have been made.

Fruitport Fire Department and ProMed Ambulance responded to the scene to provide medical care for the injured parties. Fruitport Fire Department had to extricate one of the patients from the Town and Country van due to heavy vehicle damage.

S. Dangl Road was shut down temporarily this afternoon while traffic crash investigators from Fruitport Township Police Department and Michigan State Police investigated the crash scene. Police have been working on crash reconstruction and speaking with witnesses to the incident. Muskegon Township Police Department assisted at the scene with traffic control.

The crash is still under investigation. Anyone who may have seen the crash who has not yet been interviewed by police is encouraged to contact Fruitport Township Police Department at (231) 865-8477.

An autopsy is expected to take place at Sparrow Hospital sometime tomorrow.

No further details regarding this incident are being released at this time.




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