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CRASH DATE
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
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TIME
≈ 2:39 p.m.
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LOCATION
North Eastman Road north of East Schneider Court, Larkin Township, Midland County
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By TruckCrash News Desk · Michigan Daily Crash Report
| Date & time | Tuesday, September 15, 2026, approximately 2:39 p.m. |
| Location | North Eastman Road, north of East Schneider Court, Larkin Township, Midland County |
| Vehicles | 1980 Suzuki motorcycle; pickup truck |
| Fatality | Tanner Blaine Schmidt, 26, of Mills Township, died at the scene |
| Injuries | 72-year-old Mills Township man, the pickup driver, treated for minor injuries at MyMichigan Medical Center |
| Road impact | No closure reported |
| Investigating agency | Midland County Sheriff's Office |
What Happened
A 26-year-old Mills Township man was killed Tuesday afternoon in a collision between a motorcycle and a pickup truck on North Eastman Road in Larkin Township, according to the Midland County Sheriff's Office. The crash was reported at approximately 2:39 p.m. on September 15, north of East Schneider Court in Midland County.
Deputies said Tanner Blaine Schmidt, 26, of Mills Township was riding a 1980 Suzuki motorcycle south on North Eastman Road when a northbound pickup truck turned left in front of him. The two vehicles collided. Schmidt died at the scene.
The pickup was driven by a 72-year-old Mills Township man, the sheriff's office said. He sustained minor injuries and was taken to MyMichigan Medical Center for treatment. The sheriff's office has not released his name.
Deputies were assisted at the scene by the Larkin Township Fire Department, the Mills Township Fire Department, MyMichigan EMS, the Midland County Medical Examiner, the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit, and Coles Wrecker Service. Our condolences are with Schmidt's family, friends, and the Mills Township community.
Reporting: WNEM TV5, ABC12, and Mid-Michigan NOW, with information from the Midland County Sheriff's Office.
The Investigation: What Happens Next
The Midland County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit. A reconstruction team is routine in Michigan when a crash results in a death: specialists document the scene, measure the roadway and the final positions of the vehicles, and establish the sequence of movements before impact.
Investigators said they are waiting on toxicology results to determine whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the crash. Toxicology analysis commonly takes weeks in Michigan, and its results are a standard part of the file in a fatal crash rather than an indication of any particular finding.
Once the investigation is complete, the sheriff's office said it will forward a final report to the Midland County Prosecutor's Office for review. A prosecutor's review is the routine next step after a fatal traffic crash in Michigan and does not by itself indicate that charges are expected. No citations or charges had been announced as of the sheriff's office's initial statements, and authorities have not assigned fault to anyone involved.
The Legal Picture
<strong>Who investigates a fatal crash on a Michigan county road?</strong> Crashes outside city limits are generally investigated by the county sheriff's office. When someone dies, a Michigan State Police crash reconstruction unit is frequently brought in to assist, and a medical examiner is involved as a matter of course. The investigating agency's report becomes the foundational record for anything that follows.
<strong>How does Michigan no-fault treat motorcycle riders?</strong> Michigan's no-fault system does not treat motorcycles the same way it treats cars and trucks. Motorcyclists are not automatically entitled to the personal injury protection benefits available to the occupants of a motor vehicle, and the source of any benefits generally depends on whether a motor vehicle as defined by statute was involved in the crash. Our overview of <a href="https://www.truckcrash.com/michigan-no-fault-insurance/">Michigan no-fault insurance</a> explains the framework in general terms.
<strong>What are the general rules around left turns in Michigan?</strong> Michigan's motor vehicle code addresses the duties of drivers turning left across oncoming traffic, and left-turn collisions are among the most common intersection crash patterns statewide. How those rules apply to any specific crash is a question for the investigating agency, not for a news report. Readers looking for general background can see our page on <a href="https://www.truckcrash.com/intersection-car-accidents/">intersection car accidents</a>.
<strong>What happens after a death in a Michigan traffic crash?</strong> Michigan law sets specific deadlines and procedures that apply when a crash results in a death, separate from the criminal investigation. General information is available in our overview of <a href="https://www.truckcrash.com/michigan-no-fault-deadlines/">Michigan no-fault deadlines</a>.
<em>Nothing in this section assumes fault by any person involved in this crash. The investigation is ongoing, toxicology results are pending, and no citations or charges have been reported.</em>
This Stretch of Road
North Eastman Road is a north-south route running out of the city of Midland into Larkin Township, the township immediately north of the city. Closer to town it carries commercial frontage and turn lanes; farther north, through Larkin Township, it transitions into a more open corridor with residential driveways, side streets, and farm parcels on either side, and traffic moving at higher speeds between Midland and the rural townships beyond.
East Schneider Court sits in that transitional stretch. Corridors of this kind, where a road carries steady through traffic but also a regular pattern of turning movements into homes and side streets, are a recurring setting for left-turn crashes across Michigan. Riders are disproportionately represented in that pattern nationally, because a motorcycle presents a narrower profile and is harder for a turning driver to pick out of an oncoming traffic stream and harder to judge for distance and closing speed.
Mid-afternoon on a September weekday puts traffic on North Eastman Road at a moderate but steady volume, with clear light and dry conditions typical of the season. The sheriff's office has not identified any environmental factor as a contributor, and the cause determination remains open pending reconstruction and toxicology.
If You Saw This Crash
The Midland County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate. Anyone who was driving on North Eastman Road near East Schneider Court in Larkin Township around 2:39 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15, and saw the motorcycle, the pickup truck, or the collision itself is encouraged to contact the Midland County Sheriff's Office.
Dashcam footage from vehicles traveling that stretch of North Eastman Road during that window can be valuable to a reconstruction team even when the crash itself is not in the frame, because it establishes traffic flow, vehicle positions, and timing. Residents along the corridor with driveway or doorbell cameras facing the road are also encouraged to check their recordings from Tuesday afternoon.
- WNEM TV5: Midland County motorcyclist dies in crash with pickup
- ABC12: Midland County motorcyclist dies in a crash
- Mid-Michigan NOW: Sheriff says motorcyclist killed in Midland County crash with pickup
About TruckCrash News: TruckCrash News publishes daily reports on traffic crashes across Michigan, drawn from official statements by police agencies and reporting from local news outlets. Our goal is to keep Michigan drivers informed about serious crashes, road closures, and traffic safety issues in their communities.
This article is based on information available at the time of publication from the cited sources. Details may change as investigations continue. Nothing in this article is legal advice, and nothing in it should be read as assigning fault or legal responsibility to any person. All persons are presumed innocent of any traffic offense unless established by the proper authorities.