WYOMING, Mich. (May 8, 2014)– Two West Michigan families are mourning the loss of cousins killed in a car crash over the weekend in Mecosta County.
Roman Aguilar-Emmons, 18, was about to graduate from Grandville High School and move onto his dream to his dream of becoming a police offer. His cousin 22-year-old Michael Aguilar was hoping to one day start his own business.
Both were killed in a car crash Saturday in Mecosta County. Over the weekend investigators said they determined that a 1997 GMC Jimmy traveling east on 8 Mile Road failed to stop and/or yield at the signed intersection and was struck by a 2005 Ford Ranger Pickup traveling north on Northland Drive.
The driver was identified as an 18-year-old man from Wyoming, Mich., who was transported by Mecosta County EMS to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, due to his serious injuries.
Aguilar-Emmons’ mom, Bethany Vail-Perez says Roman had just turned 18 last Tuesday and they were on their way to Soaring Eagle Casino for his birthday.
Aguialr-Emmons was going to be the first among his siblings to graduate high school, now his younger sister will accept his diploma for him.
Vail-Perez says she was proud of him beyond words, she says he was compassionate kind and worked hard.
He was dual enrolled at the Kent Career Techinical Center studying criminal justice with plans to attend Grand Rapids Community College’s police academy in the fall.
“I just have to think that God had a better plan for him, to take him so young I just have to believe in that,” she said.
Mike Aguilar’s family says he was hoping one to day to open his own car detailing business, they called him the peacemaker, always going out of his way for others like volunteering at food banks and driving friends who didn’t have cars to church.
His father Manuel Aguilar says he had a big heart, “he was the kind of guy who worried about the community, always trying to help.”
Manuel says he made the drive out to where the crash happened, they placed flowers and crosses at the sight. He says Roman and Michael were more than cousins, they were best friends and always together.
Manuel says he is hoping to work towards changing the intersection where the crash happened, he says there have been other accidents there in the past and he doesn’t want to see any more families hurt.
