April 9th, 2010 | 
Author: HOLLAND, MI – One person was killed in a semi truck accident on U.S. 31 at the Port Sheldon Street intersection in Holland, Michigan on Wednesday, April 7 at about 5:40 p.m shutting down the busy highway.
Investigators and work crews at the scene of a semi truck accident on U.S. 31 and Port Sheldon Street in Holland, Michigan where one person was killed Wednesday evening.
Holland is located in the eastern part of the state on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, about 30 miles southwest of Grand Rapids, about 181 miles northwest of Detroit, about 157 miles northwest of Ann Arbor and about 90 miles west of Lansing.
The fatal crash occurred when a big rig hauling a flatbed trailer loaded with landscaping materials was traveling north on U.S. 31 when it struck a van that was moving through the intersection on Port Sheldon Street in Olive Township. The van, moving westbound on Port Sheldon, was carrying two people at the time. The driver, who was ejected in the collision, was killed in the accident. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Location of semi truck crash at the intersection of U.S. Route 31 and Port Sheldon Street.
The occupants of the van were both from Michigan. The driver of the van was Frank Edward Lawrence, 60 years old from Port Sheldon Township. The passenger in the van was Andrew Siegers, 44 years old from Holland Township.
The name of the semi truck driver has not been released. He was a 32 year-old man from Bay Shore, N.Y. He was heading north on U.S. 31 on the way to Grand Haven, MI when he plowed into the van.
According to police, Lawrence was stopped at a red light on Port Sheldon Street. When the traffic light turned green, he drove into the intersection and the tractor trailer crashed into him.
Immediately after the crash, witnesses rushed to the aid of the van driver, and some attempted to do CPR on him. Their efforts, along with those of the emergency responders were unsuccessful.
Siegers was taken to a nearby hospital. He was later reported to be in stable condition.
WATCH VIDEO
Sgt. Wieringa, of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department said that they were working on witness statements, trying to determine the sequence of the traffic signals at the time.
The 18 wheeler knocked out a power pole and the overhead traffic lights that were attached to it. The Michigan Department of Transportation dispatched crews to repair it on Wednesday night.
Diesel fuel from the semi truck was spilled as a result of the accident, so an Ottawa County Hazmat team was also called in to help clean up the fuel spill. Officials from Consumers Energy also arrived to shut off power into the area.
Below is a Google street view of the intersection at U.S. Route 31 and Port Sheldon Street facing north. You can see a power pole on the left with overhead traffic lights attached by cables. In the accident, the semi truck knocked down the power pole, taking out the traffic lights with it. You can click the mouse button and drag it around to get a 360° view of the intersection.
It appears that crews will be at the scene of the accident for quite some time working to clean up the mess.
Investigators continue looking into the incident and the case will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office.
For more information about Michigan trucking laws, truck injury causes and victims rights, contact an experienced Michigan truck accident lawyer. For a free initial consultation, contact nationwide truck accident attorneys, Gordon, Elias & Seely LLP, for expert advice.
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