A 3-year-old girl died and three people were sent to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a head-on collision on Van Dyke Avenue in Bruce Township on Thanksgiving Day, according to police.
A 2011 Chevy Impala driven by a father with his 2-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter in the car was headed south on M-53, also known as Van Dyke Avenue, near Ebeling Road around 5:20 p.m. and crossed over into the northbound lanes, according to preliminary investigation posted on Michigan State Police Second District’s X page on the morning of Friday, Nov. 28.
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An 18-year-old from Davison was driving a 2013 Chevy Impala northbound following her boyfriend’s car. The boyfriend was able to swerve out of the way prior to the crash and was not struck. The 2013 Chevy driven by the girl was struck head-on by the 2011 Chevy, according to preliminary investigation.
When MSP troopers arrived at the scene, three occupants were trapped in one vehicle and one in the second. Bruce Township Fire, with a station within sight of the crash, was on scene and able to remove all passengers from the crash, according to MSP.
The 18-year-old driving the 2013 Chevy and the driver of the 2011 Chevy were transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The 2011 Chevy driver’s 2-year-old son was transported to a local hospital then to a children’s hospital with life-threatening injuries. The 2011 Chevy driver’s 3-year-old daughter was pronounced dead on the scene, according to MSP.
Neither child was “properly restrained,” and only one car seat was in the vehicle, MSP Public Information Officer Lt. Mike Shaw said in the MSP post.
Metro North troopers are continuing to investigate the crash. It is unknown as of Friday morning why the driver crossed over into the oncoming traffic lanes. A blood draw was taken as part of the investigation, according to MSP.
“It is particularly heartbreaking when a preventable crash occurs on a holiday,” Shaw said. “It is even worse when a child loses their life. Please make sure to wear your seat belt and that your children are properly restrained every trip.”
Contact Natalie Davies at ndavies@freepress.com.

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