By John Raffel
Correspondent
ALLEGAN – Allegan County Central Dispatch received a call on Sept. 1 shortly after 6 a.m. of a vehicle on fire on 137th ave near 44th st in the township of Overisel.
It has appeared that the vehicle had crashed into a tree the caller said. Allegan County Sheriff Deputies as well as first responders arrived on scene and found the vehicle fully engulfed and when the flames were extinguished located a male driver still in the vehicle.
The male driver, who was identified as a 14-year-old male from the Zeeland area was pronounced deceased on the scene.
Deputies say Preliminary investigation shows that the vehicle, later identified as a jeep wrangler was traveling west on 137th ave and ran off the roadway striking a tree head on.
The Allegan County Crash Reconstruction Team was on scene and investigating the incident for several hours, but have since completed their on-scene investigation and the roadway was back open. The name of the subject is not being released because he is a juvenile and family notification is still being completed. Deputies said it appears that speed was a factor.
The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by AMR Ambulance, Overisel Fire Department, Hamilton Fire Department and Allegan County Medical Examiner’s Office.
This doesn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know. I would like to know why a 14-year-old was driving a car. The name it not necessary to know. Was there a family emergency etc.?