Lapeer,MI : Rich Twp. man killed Sunday in ATV crash on April, Sunday 22th 2018
Lapeer County Sheriff’s Dept. deputies are looking for the driver of a blue pickup following the death of a 40-year-old Rich Township man who was riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with his father Sunday evening.
Det./Sgt. Jason Parks said Joseph Armstrong, 40, of Rich Township and his father were headed home about 8:07 p.m. from a day of riding quad runners on property near their homes on Silverwood Road.
Parks said Armstrong’s father told him that his son was headed south on Silverwood Road when he encountered a northbound blue pickup on a narrow concrete bridge over the North Branch of the Flint River. The older Armstrong was following on another quad runner.
Parks noted the old bridge has two lanes, but “it would be tight for two cars to pass at the exact same time.” He said two cement pillars flanking the bridge make it seem even narrower.
Armstrong’s father told Parks the pickup was near the center of the roadway and his son went off the westside of the road to avoid it. Parks said the quad runner continued 100 feet down a gradual incline before hitting two large trees and landing in the river.
Parks said the crash scene was about 200 feet from the Armstrong’s homes in a “very rural” part of southern Rich Township. He said 10 family members arrived at the crash scene within minutes of the fatal accident.
The area, Parks said, is heavily wooded and the road has several curves before the bridge.
“I’d really like to talk to the driver” of the pickup, said Parks. He said it’s unclear if the truck was a contributing factor.
Parks said Armstrong’s father pulled him from the water and began life-saving efforts, but the younger man was declared dead after emergency services crews arrived.
Parks said the younger man was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. He said an autopsy was scheduled for Monday.
Silverwood Road was closed at the bridge for about two hours as the fatal crash was investigated.
Source :
Rich Twp. man killed Sunday in ATV crash