BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. – Two people died in a a fiery crash early Saturday morning, now the victims have been identified.
Deputies were dispatched to an unknown fire in the intersection of Lakeshore Drive and Stones Throw Lane at around 12:37 a.m. in New Buffalo Township.
The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department said when deputies arrived they found a 2012 Volkswagen Passat engulfed in flames.
A police investigation found the car was driving at a high rate of speed and drove through the stop sign at Marquette Drive and Lakeshore Drive. The vehicle crossed the roadway and struck a tree.
When emergency personnel put out the fire, they found two people dead inside. Their bodies has to be removed using the jaws of life.
Both were taken to Lakeland Medical Center.
The victims were identified with dental x-ray’s. The driver is Aleksandra Strikas, 22, and the passenger was Matthew Ross, 25.
Blood samples were sent to a state lab for testing, preliminary toxicology reports suggest that alcohol was a factor in the crash.
There were no witnesses to the incident, which remains under investigation.
