37-year-old Sister Lakes area man dies in single-vehicle crash

VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. - The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office reports they responded to the intersection of C.R. 687 and C.R. 342 in Keeler Township to a report of a single-vehicle crash with entrapment.

Authorities say they got a call from a woman stating she witnessed a vehicle run through an intersection and crash into a tree around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday.

The woman went to the vehicle to provide assistance and told dispatchers the doors were locked, airbags were deployed, and the vehicle was smoking.

When deputies arrived on scene, they were unable to remove the driver due to the 2016 Volkswagen Jetta quickly becoming engulfed in flames.

The report states that's when Sister Lakes and Keeler fire units arrived to put out the fire.

The initial investigation leads authorities to believe the Jetta was traveling east on C.R. 342 at around 70 mph and continued, without slowing down, through the "T" intersection.

They believe that's when it became airborne for about 35 feet before bouncing off the grass and going 100 feet further where it then hit a large tree head-on.

The driver died from their injuries.

Authorities say it appears the driver wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and the exact cause of the crash is unknown at this time.

Authorities will attempt to recover the Jetta's Event Data Recorder, or black box, for additional information.

Officials say it's not known if drugs or alcohol contributed to this incident.