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MARQUETTE – Four Big Bay residents were injured, including one critically, Thursday night after the vehicle they were traveling in crashed into the back of an Eagle Mine ore truck in whiteout conditions on Marquette County Road 550.
The Marquette County Sheriff’s Office reports the crash occurred at about 9:45 p.m. near County Road KCE, which is located a few miles south of Big Bay.
Police said Donald Fortin, 36, of Big Bay was driving north on County Road 550 in a 2012 Lincoln MKH in whiteout conditions when the accident occurred. Passengers in the vehicle included Fortin’s wife, Danielle, 33, and two daughters – ages 5 and 13 – whom police declined to name.
Deputies said the Lincoln struck the back of a M.J. VanDamme Trucking of Cornell semi-tractor trailer, which was also heading north to the Eagle Mine, driving slow in the poor weather conditions.
The driver of the mine truck was Steven Zarkowski, 58, of Marquette. Police said he was not hurt in the accident.
The Fortins were taken to UP Health System – Marquette where three of the family members were treated for cuts and other minor injuries and later released, according to police.
The 13-year-old Fortin daughter was initially listed in critical condition at the hospital.
Police said she was later discharged and airlifted to the pediatric neurosurgery department at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. No updated condition information was available before press time today.
Capt. Dave Lemire said no tickets had been issued in the crash, however, Fortin was at fault because he was driving too fast for conditions.
Police said the 13-year-old was not wearing a safety belt.
The sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by Powell Township Fire Department and EMS personnel, the Marquette Township Fire Department and Marquette General Hospital EMS.
The incident marks the second crash on County Road 550 in less than a month involving an ore truck from the Eagle Mine.
On Dec. 13, Shawn Mocker, 30, of Marquette was driving south when he made an evasive move to avoid a deer in the roadway, overturning the ore truck into a ditch along the road, Michigan State Police said.
Mocker was not hurt in the crash.
John Pepin can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 206.