By TruckCrash News Desk · Michigan Daily Crash Report
What Happened
A 14-year-old from Dundee died early Saturday when the four-wheeler he was riding collided with an SUV on Bacon Road in Summerfield Township, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said, according to reporting by ClickOnDetroit/WDIV and WWJ Newsradio. Our condolences go out to the young rider’s family and to the Dundee and Petersburg communities grieving this loss.
According to the sheriff’s office, the crash happened around 5 a.m. Saturday, July 25, on Bacon Road south of Todd Road. A 2007 Honda TRX250 four-wheeler carrying two teens was traveling south on Bacon Road when it collided with a 2013 Chevrolet Traverse that was backing out of a private driveway, ClickOnDetroit reported.
The 14-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving efforts. A 17-year-old passenger from Petersburg was taken to ProMedica Toledo Hospital in critical condition, according to the reports. The two occupants of the Traverse — a 54-year-old and a 57-year-old, both of Petersburg — were not injured.
Reporting: ClickOnDetroit/WDIV and WWJ Newsradio 950, with information from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The Investigation: What Happens Next
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Services Division is investigating, with deputies Alec Preadmore and Hunter Chirillo named in reports as handling the case. Investigators in a crash of this kind typically reconstruct the paths of both the four-wheeler and the SUV, examine lighting and visibility — the crash occurred around dawn — and determine how the vehicles came together at the driveway.
The sheriff’s office has asked anyone with information to call its Traffic Services Division at 734-240-7541, or to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Findings are generally forwarded to the county prosecutor for review once the investigation is complete, which is standard in fatal crashes.
The Legal Picture
Because a child died in this crash, this section is limited to general safety information. Nothing here is a comment on fault, and investigators have not publicly assigned any.
Off-road vehicles like four-wheelers occupy a complicated place on Michigan roads: state law and local ordinances tightly restrict where and how ORVs may operate on public roadways, with specific rules for riders under 16, helmet use, and supervision. Crashes involving ORVs and passenger vehicles are among the most severe in the state’s crash data because riders have little protection in any collision with a car or SUV.
For an overview of how Michigan’s insurance system treats injuries from motor-vehicle crashes — including the distinct rules that can apply when an ORV is involved — see our guide to Michigan no-fault insurance.
Nothing in this section is a comment on fault in this specific crash. Fault is determined by investigators, insurers, and — where necessary — the courts, based on evidence that is still being gathered.
This Stretch of Road
Bacon Road is a north–south rural road in Summerfield Township, in western Monroe County between Dundee and Petersburg. The area is a patchwork of farms and rural homes, where residential driveways open directly onto two-lane roads with open speed limits and no street lighting.
Around 5 a.m. in late July, first light is only beginning; visibility on unlit rural roads is limited, and vehicles entering the roadway from driveways have long been a recognized conflict point in rural crash data. The combination of a small off-road vehicle, low light, and a vehicle backing into the roadway made this stretch of Bacon Road the site of one of the county’s most tragic crashes this summer.
If You Saw This Crash
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has directly asked the public for help: anyone who witnessed the crash or has information is asked to call the Traffic Services Division at 734-240-7541, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP, where tips can be left anonymously.
Anyone who saw the four-wheeler traveling on Bacon Road in the early-morning hours of Saturday, July 25, may also have information that helps investigators build a complete timeline.
- ClickOnDetroit/WDIV: 14-year-old killed after four-wheeler crash in Monroe County
- WWJ Newsradio 950: All-terrain vehicle crash in Monroe County leaves one teen dead, another critically injured
About TruckCrash News — TruckCrash News publishes a daily report on serious traffic crashes across Michigan, so that families, commuters, and communities can find clear, sourced information about what happened on their roads. Every article is compiled from official statements and on-the-record news reporting, and we link to our sources in every story.
This article is a news report, not legal advice. Details may change as agencies release new information; we update stories when significant corrections or identifications are made public.