An Eau Claire man was airlifted to Bronson Hospital overnight with severe burns resulting from a collision between his Jeep and a semi at the Pilot Travel Center at Napier and I-94 in Benton Charter Township.
Detective Sgt. Tyler Tiefenbach of the Benton Township Police says that officers from his department were called to the popular truck stop travel center at 8pm last night, Wednesday, November 4th, when the collision occurred at 1860 E. Napier Avenue, just off of the I-94 ramps.
Tiefenbach says that the unidentified 59-year old Eau Claire man pulled his Jeep into the path of a semi attempting to pull into the truck parking lot alongside the Pilot Travel Center, resulting in a ball of fire that engulfed the Jeep and the driver inside.
The Benton Township Fire Department and police department were able to extinguish the flames surrounding both the driver and the vehicle. The driver of the Jeep was rushed to Spectrum Health Lakeland and later airlifted to Bronson Hospital, due to the severe burns he had suffered. He is currently in serious condition. One officer with the Benton Township Police Department was also transported to Spectrum Health Lakeland for observation due to smoke inhalation. The semi truck driver was not injured.
The crash is currently under investigation.
Benton Township Police were assisted at the scene of the fire by the Michigan State Police, Berrien County Sheriff’s Department, Benton Township Fire Department, and Medic 1 Ambulance.
Tiefenbach urges anyone with information to contact the Benton Township Police Department at (269) 925-1135 or Crime Stoppers at (574) 288-STOP.
