ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. – A man was critically injured Thursday when his vehicle smashed into the back of a tow truck.
At about 9 a.m., deputies from the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office were working on a different crash on US-131, when a person approached them and said he witnessed the accident.
According to officials, the driver, Michael Maartense, 41, of Allendale was heading southbound on the outside lane of US-131. Police said the man was driving too fast for conditions. However, the highway appeared to be clear, but it wasn’t. It was covered in a sheet of ice. Attempting to slow down, the driver used his breaks. He then spun out of control, which caused him to cross the center line and smash passenger-side into the back of the tow truck.
The Wayland Fire Department along with the Martin Fire Department extricated the driver from the vehicle. The man was transported by West Michigan Air Care to Spectrum Butterworth, where he is being treated for a severe head injury.
The tow truck driver was working to remove another vehicle that slid off the highway and onto the median when the crash occurred. He said he heard the car coming and was able to move out of the way.
The victim was wearing his seatbelt, but because of the significant damage done to the car, he was unable to escape serious injury.
The name of the driver has not been released.
