By TruckCrash News Desk · Published August 25, 2026
Date & time: Monday, August 24, 2026, 7:50 p.m.
Location: Round Lake Road, about one-half mile south of Pleasant View Drive, Sherman Township, Gladwin County
Vehicles: Two cars, head-on collision on a curve
Injuries: Jennifer Smith, 54, of Flint, died at the scene; a 40-year-old West Branch woman was airlifted for treatment
Road impact: No extended closures reported
Investigating agency: Gladwin County Sheriff’s Office; reports to be forwarded to the Gladwin County Prosecutor’s Office
What Happened
A 54-year-old Flint woman was killed and a 40-year-old West Branch woman was flown to a hospital after two cars collided head-on Monday evening on Round Lake Road in Gladwin County’s Sherman Township, according to the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were called to the crash at 7:50 p.m. on Monday, August 24, on Round Lake Road about a half-mile south of Pleasant View Drive, WNEM TV5 reported. The two cars collided head-on along a curved section of the road, according to the sheriff’s office.
Jennifer Smith, 54, of Flint, died at the scene, deputies said. The 40-year-old West Branch woman driving the other car was airlifted by helicopter for medical treatment, WNEM reported. An update on her condition was not available.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation, and the sheriff’s office said its reports will be forwarded to the Gladwin County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Our thoughts are with Ms. Smith’s family and loved ones, and with everyone affected by this crash. Reporting: WNEM TV5, with information from the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Office.
The Investigation: What Happens Next
The Gladwin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and has said its completed reports will go to the Gladwin County Prosecutor’s Office for review — a standard step after a fatal crash, and not by itself an indication that charges will be sought. Investigators in head-on collisions typically work to establish each vehicle’s lane position at impact using physical evidence such as debris fields, gouge marks and final rest positions, along with any witness statements.
Because the collision happened on a curve, reconstruction will likely focus on how each vehicle tracked through it. Toxicology results, which are routinely collected in fatal crashes, can take weeks to return, and the sheriff’s office has not released any findings about contributing factors.
The Legal Picture
Q1: What support does Michigan’s insurance system provide after a fatal crash? Michigan’s no-fault system provides survivor’s loss benefits to the dependents of a person killed in a motor vehicle crash, along with funeral and burial expense coverage, generally through the family’s own auto insurer or an insurer assigned by the state. Families navigating this process can read our plain-language overview of Michigan no-fault insurance.
Q2: What happens with the prosecutor review? Forwarding reports to a county prosecutor is routine in fatal crashes. Prosecutors review the completed investigation to determine whether the evidence supports any charge; in many fatal crashes, the review ends with no charges at all.
Q3: How do rural two-lane roads figure into crash safety? Head-on collisions are among the most severe crash types precisely because closing speeds on two-lane roads are high and there is no barrier between opposing lanes. Safety agencies emphasize attentive lane-keeping, appropriate speeds on curves, and daytime headlights on rural routes.
These are general questions and answers about Michigan law and road safety. This crash remains under investigation, no findings about its cause have been released, and nothing in this article should be read as suggesting fault on the part of anyone involved — including the woman who lost her life.
This Stretch of Road
Round Lake Road is a two-lane county road in Sherman Township, in the lake country of western Gladwin County, where roads wind between small inland lakes, cottages and wooded parcels. The area around Round Lake and Pleasant View Drive draws steady seasonal traffic in late August, when year-round residents share the roads with visitors closing out the summer.
Curved segments of rural two-lane roads concentrate risk: sight distance shortens, and a vehicle that drifts over the centerline meets oncoming traffic with little time or room to react. The sheriff’s office has not said what role, if any, the curve played in this crash beyond noting that the collision occurred along it.
If You Saw This Crash
Anyone who was driving on Round Lake Road near Pleasant View Drive around 7:50 p.m. on Monday, August 24, and saw either vehicle before the collision, or who stopped at the scene before deputies arrived, is encouraged to contact the Gladwin County Sheriff’s Office. In fatal crashes with no surviving account from one driver, independent witnesses can be especially important to an accurate reconstruction.
About TruckCrash News: TruckCrash News, a publication of truckcrash.com, reports daily on traffic crashes across Michigan — from semi-truck and commercial vehicle collisions to car, motorcycle, bicycle and pedestrian crashes — so Michigan families have a clear, factual record of what happened on our roads. Our reports are compiled from official statements by police and public safety agencies and from on-the-ground reporting by Michigan news outlets, which we credit and link in every story.
This article is a news report based on information released by the agencies and outlets cited above. Details of an active investigation can change as police release new information. Nothing in this article is legal advice, and no statement here should be read as assigning fault or legal responsibility to any person. If you have corrections or additional information about this crash, please contact us through truckcrash.com.