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CRASH DATE
Sunday, August 23, 2026
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TIME
≈ 12:39 a.m.
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LOCATION
N. 28th Avenue, Golden Township, Oceana County
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By TruckCrash News Desk · Published August 23, 2026 · Compiled from official statements and local news reports
| Date & time | Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, ≈ 12:39 a.m. |
| Location | Private property along North 28th Avenue, Golden Township (Oceana County) |
| Vehicles | Honda Pioneer 1000 side-by-side carrying six occupants |
| Injuries | 1 dead (17-year-old passenger); five other occupants did not require immediate medical attention |
| Road impact | None reported — crash occurred on private property |
| Investigating agency | Oceana County Sheriff's Office |
What Happened
A 17-year-old from Ada died early Sunday, August 23, 2026, when the side-by-side he was riding in rolled over on private property along North 28th Avenue in Golden Township, near Mears in Oceana County. The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office identified the teen as Luke William Kooistra, according to reporting by UpNorthLive and 9&10 News.
Deputies said the Honda Pioneer 1000 was carrying six people when it overturned at about 12:39 a.m. Kooistra, a passenger, was gravely injured; first responders attempted resuscitation, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, per the sheriff’s office. The five other occupants did not require immediate medical attention, according to reports.
The vehicle’s 18-year-old driver, also from Ada, was arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated causing death and lodged in the Oceana County Jail, deputies said. WZZM reported that Kooistra was a senior at Forest Hills Eastern High School, where his principal remembered him as a student who “radiated kindness.” TruckCrash News extends its deepest condolences to his family, classmates and community.
Reporting: UpNorthLive, 9&10 News and WZZM, with information from the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office.
The Investigation: What Happens Next
The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office is investigating with assistance from Mason-Oceana 911, the Hart Area Fire Department and Life EMS, which responded to the scene. Deputies said the investigation remains ongoing; in off-road-vehicle fatality cases, that typically includes occupant positioning, seat-belt and helmet use, terrain analysis, and blood-alcohol testing.
The arrested driver’s case will be forwarded to the Oceana County Prosecutor’s Office, which decides what charges, if any, to formally file. An arrest is not a conviction, and the driver is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The Legal Picture
Do Michigan’s traffic laws apply to side-by-sides and ORVs? Michigan has a separate ORV code, but operating any motor vehicle while intoxicated — including off-road vehicles, and including on private property in many circumstances — can carry serious criminal penalties, especially where a death results.
How are passengers in an ORV crash protected? Michigan’s auto no-fault system generally does not treat ORVs like cars, so coverage questions after an off-road crash can be complicated, often involving homeowner’s policies and other coverage. Our guide to Michigan no-fault insurance explains how the state’s injury-coverage framework works and where ORVs fit.
What is the safety takeaway? Side-by-sides are top-heavy by design, and manufacturers warn against overloading. Six occupants, nighttime operation and alcohol are each risk factors that safety agencies cite in rollover deaths — and all three are part of this investigation, per the sheriff’s office.
Nothing here assumes fault by anyone involved. The facts above are attributed to the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office and the outlets cited, and the arrested driver is presumed innocent.
This Stretch of Road
North 28th Avenue runs through Golden Township’s mix of farmland, woods and the dune country around Silver Lake — an area that draws heavy off-road-vehicle traffic all summer. The crash occurred on private property off the roadway, deputies said, a common setting for late-night ORV riding in rural Oceana County.
Oceana County sees a seasonal spike in ORV crashes tied to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes tourism season. Safety officials across west Michigan consistently urge riders to respect passenger limits, wear restraints and helmets, and never mix alcohol with off-road riding.
If You Saw This Crash
The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office has not publicly asked for witnesses, but anyone with information about the crash can contact the sheriff’s office through Mason-Oceana 911’s non-emergency line.
Friends and riders who were in the area of North 28th Avenue in Golden Township early Sunday morning may hold details useful to investigators as they reconstruct the rollover.
- UpNorthLive: 17-year-old dies in Oceana County side-by-side crash; 18-year-old driver arrested
- 9&10 News: Teen dies in ATV rollover crash, driver arrested for operating while impaired causing death
- WZZM: 17-year-old Ada boy killed in ORV crash 'radiated kindness,' principal says
About TruckCrash News: TruckCrash News is a daily Michigan traffic-safety news project that reports on serious crashes across the state, drawing on official statements from law enforcement and reporting by local news outlets. Our goal is to keep Michigan drivers informed about where serious crashes are happening and why.
This article is based on information available at the time of publication and may be updated as agencies release new details. Nothing in this article is legal advice, and no statement here should be read as assigning fault to any person. All persons are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise in court.