BANGOR TWP., MI (WHTC/WKZO) – A 64-year-old Bangor man lost his life on Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 24, 2023) following a single-vehicle crash near his hometown.
According to the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and other first responders were dispatched to 30th Avenue (CR 378) north of Merriman Lake around 4:20 PM. That was where witnesses say a white pickup truck, heading westbound at a high rate of speed, attempted to pass several vehicles along the two-lane roadway. When an eastbound vehicle approached, the truck swerved to avoid a head-on collision, but the motorist lost control of his pickup as a result. His vehicle went airborne, rolled over several times, and struck a tree. The driver, identified on Wednesday as Gary Thompson, was thrown from his cab and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Deputies had to block off 30th Avenue between County Road 687 and 66th Street for some time while investigating the circumstances of this crash.
