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CRASH DATE
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
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TIME
≈ 1:50 p.m.
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LOCATION
M-115 near S. 47 Rd, Clam Lake Twp
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By the TruckCrash News Desk · Michigan crash coverage
| Date & time | Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at approximately 1:50 p.m. |
| Location | M-115 near South 47 Road, Clam Lake Township, Wexford County (near Cadillac) |
| Vehicles | A box truck, a Hyundai Santa Fe, and a pickup truck |
| Injuries | Box truck driver, 36, of Inkster, killed; two other drivers hospitalized with minor injuries |
| Road impact | Not specified in initial reports |
| Investigating agency | Michigan State Police |
What Happened
A 36-year-old Inkster man was killed Wednesday afternoon, August 26, when the box truck he was driving was struck and flipped onto its side in a three-vehicle crash on M-115 near South 47 Road in Wexford County’s Clam Lake Township, near Cadillac. Our condolences go to his family and loved ones.
According to UpNorthLive (WPBN/WGTU) and 9&10 News, Michigan State Police said the crash happened around 1:50 p.m. The box truck was traveling west when a Hyundai Santa Fe driven by a 19-year-old LeRoy woman, traveling north, struck it — flipping the truck onto its side. A pickup truck driven by a 58-year-old Troy man, traveling east, then struck the box truck’s cab.
The box truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said. The 19-year-old woman and the 58-year-old man sustained minor injuries and were taken to a hospital. Troopers told reporters they do not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash. The name of the man who died had not been publicly released as of this writing.
Reporting: UpNorthLive (WPBN/WGTU) and 9&10 News, with information from the Michigan State Police.
The Investigation: What Happens Next
The Michigan State Police are investigating. In a fatal multi-vehicle crash on a state trunkline, troopers typically produce a full reconstruction: scene mapping, vehicle inspections, event-data downloads where available, and interviews with the surviving drivers and witnesses.
Because a commercial-style box truck was involved, investigators can also review the vehicle’s condition and any records associated with its operation — standard steps that help establish how the sequence of collisions unfolded and whether any vehicle factors contributed.
Troopers’ early statement that alcohol and drugs are not believed to be factors is preliminary. The completed reconstruction, which can take several weeks, will determine the official account of how the three vehicles came together at the M-115 crossing.
The Legal Picture
How are work-truck drivers covered under Michigan law?
A driver killed or hurt while operating a box truck on the job may implicate several systems at once: Michigan’s no-fault benefits, workers’ compensation if the trip was work-related, and any liability claims that follow from the completed investigation. The interplay is fact-specific; an overview of crash-related benefits is on our Michigan no-fault insurance page.
What do investigators look at in a chain-collision like this?
Multi-vehicle crashes are reconstructed collision by collision — who struck whom, in what order, and at what speeds. Those findings, not preliminary accounts, determine legal responsibility. Families navigating that process can find general information about fatal truck crashes on our truck accident resource page.
Does a rural trunkline crossing change the analysis?
Stop-controlled crossings of highways like M-115 are a recognized serious-crash pattern in northern Michigan: through-traffic moves at highway speed while crossing traffic must select safe gaps. Traffic-safety reviews of fatal intersection crashes routinely examine sight lines, signage, and approach speeds.
No court or investigating agency has made any finding of fault in this crash, and nothing here assumes one. These are general questions Michigan law raises after serious crashes, answered generally.
This Stretch of Road
M-115 is the long diagonal trunkline that runs from Clare through Cadillac toward Frankfort, and near South 47 Road it passes through Clam Lake Township on the southern approach to Cadillac. The highway carries a heavy mix of resort, local, and commercial traffic — particularly in summer, when Cadillac-area lakes draw travelers from across the state.
Like many northern Michigan trunklines, M-115 through Wexford County is a two-lane highway where crossing and turning traffic meets through-traffic at grade. Crashes at these rural crossings account for a disproportionate share of the region’s serious collisions.
If You Saw This Crash
The Michigan State Police had not publicly asked for witnesses as of this writing, but anyone who saw the crash on M-115 near South 47 Road on Wednesday afternoon, or who has dash-camera footage from the area around 1:50 p.m., may hold information useful to the reconstruction.
Information can be shared with the Michigan State Police’s Cadillac post, referencing the August 26 fatal crash on M-115 in Clam Lake Township.
- UpNorthLive: 36-year-old man dies after three-vehicle crash in Wexford County
- 9&10 News: Three-vehicle crash on M-115 near Cadillac kills Inkster man
About TruckCrash News
TruckCrash News is the daily news desk of truckcrash.com, covering significant traffic crashes across Michigan — from commercial truck collisions on the interstates to serious crashes on local roads. Our goal is simple: clear, sourced, same-day reporting on the crashes that affect Michigan drivers, with follow-ups as officials release new information.
This article is a news report based on information released by public agencies and reporting from the outlets credited above. Details may change as investigations continue. Nothing in this article is legal advice, and nothing in it should be read as assigning fault to any person. If official sources correct any detail reported here, we will update this story.