A 46-year-old Branch County Road Commission employee has died following a crash on I-69 Thursday, June 4 in Coldwater Townhip, according to Michigan State Police.
Lt. Duane Robinson said Casey Rice was driving a mower along the interstate when he was hit by a semi. He was flown to Beacon Hospital in Kalamazoo where he died Saturday, June 6.
Robinson said drugs may have contributed to the crash.
The now fatal crash investigation was turned over to the MSP Commercial Carrier Division.
The truck driver was treated for minor injuries at Bronson Battle Creek, where a mandatory federal blood test was administered.
Robinson said the driver was not detained.
Rice, a husband and father of two from Coldwater, was part of a crew mowing the right-of-way under a Michigan Department of Transportation contract.
Crash investigators were seen collecting evidence from the truck at the crash site.
Tire tracks showed the semi crossed both southbound lanes under Newton Road, veered into the median, and stopped before reaching the northbound lanes. The trailer’s back doors opened, spilling metal wire.
Branch County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said his office was informed of the fatality and is awaiting police reports.
MSP said the semi-truck hit the rear of Rice’s Branch County Road Commission bat-wing mower just north of the Newton Road overpass in the southbound lane, forcing the tractor into the guardrail.
I-69 was closed for eight and a half hours after the 12:30 p.m. crash for investigation and cleanup.
Contact Don Reid, dReid@USATodayCo.Com
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Branch County road worker dies after I-69 crash with semi
Reporting by Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter / Coldwater Daily Reporter
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By Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter | USA TODAY Network
