Ken and Mary Geurink, 71 and 70 years young respectively, died while riding on their motorcycle Saturday night at 8:30 PM in front of the Mason County Airport on US 10 Highway.  Their names were released at their church this morning along with prayers for their family and many positive epithets for both.  May they both find their heavenly reward for leading good lives that ended too soon.

Before they met their fate, a 59 year old woman from Lennon, Michigan was waiting to turn left in her Ford Explorer to go towards Ludington, much like the Geurinks were, after having went to Burger King.  She would have to make a left hand turn onto US 10.  She did. 

A 20 year old woman from Bitely was heading out of Ludington in a Chevy Cruze on US 10 at the same time in the passing lane, not expecting the Ford Explorer to dart out and crash into her vehicle.   The Cruze continued for some distance, coming to a rest on the south side of the highway, with the airbags deployed, a rear wheel missing and severe damage to the rear and passenger side of the car. The Explorer remained in the center lane of the highway heading west. 

This is what the public would glean from the reports made by local media who both wrote stories based on the information given by the investigating authorities (MCP with update and COLDNews with update).  The sheriff's office commanded the scene, while the MSP conducted crash investigations. 

In both reports, the MCSO admits that both vehicles hit the motorcycle ("The motorcycle was struck by the two vehicles, deputies said."-- MCP, and "The two were on a motorcycle that was struck by vehicles" -- COLDNews) noting the motorcycle came to rest in front of the airport's driveway. 

However, the damage to the Cruze and where each vehicle came to rest, indicates the Explorer never went past the center lane, hitting the back end of the Cruze before stopping in the center.  The Cruze, which wound up south of the highway, must have at a point crossed in front of the Geurinks' motorcycle.  It seems to be physically impossible for the Explorer to have hit the motorcycle once the Cruze did. 

Ironically, there should have been a lot of witnesses, but we never learn of what actually happened in this double fatality motorcycle accident from the motorcycle perspective from the authorities or meda.  What lane were they in, which part of the vehicle(s) hit the motorcycle, were the motorcyclists in the process of turning into Burger King...?

That may be immaterial to most, but it's very important if you want to find out how best to prevent it from happening in the future.  But our authorities do not release the name of those involved, including the name of the Ford Explorer driver whose reckless driving caused the deaths of two people and will likely get no punishment if the MCSO's history with motorcycle accidents is any indication (there has been zero consequences for the teen driver from Texas who stole motorcyclists Scott and Melanie Butler's right-of-way and lives back in 2015.  The only person blamed for that accident by the sheriff and press was the Butlers, for not wearing helmets.)

In the COLDNews article, a parishioner at Geurink's church says the deceased would have wanted everybody to forgive the person that caused the accident.  If we value the lives of other vulnerable users of the road, we cannot allow there to be no consequences when avoidable accidents like this happen all too regularly.

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Why only slight damage to the R-front of the Ex?  If they pulled out to turn left (west) and was hit by an east bound car you would think the damage would be on the drivers side of the Ex.  I wasn't there and only have 2 pics and some 3rd hand information but that looks odd.  

From the extensive damage to the Cruze's back end and the relatively minor damage to the front passenger's side of the Explorer, one would have to surmise the Explorer did not pull in front of the Cruze, but effectively pulled into the backside of it imparting a spin to the momentum already carrying it east and a northerly vector to it, which seems to have been lost when it collided with the motorcycle almost immediately for both motorcycle and Cruze to wind up where they did (I saw the accident scene in passing just before dark, where the bike was probably unmoved since Brad had saw it). 

I went by there right as they let traffic thru.  The white Cruze was just past the entrance for the old Maclain Construction office driveway and off the road.  If I recall correctly the motorcycle was just northeast of the Explorer towards the north curb, not quite to airport entrance.  Both vehicles obviously roller forward after contact, with the Cruze probably purposely moving off US10.  Cruze had quite a bit of damage in several areas.  Guessing... if the bike was going east, then it seems with perpetual motion the bike would been considerably further east then where it was.  I'd assume it was in left lane of west bound and the Cruze ended up hitting it after being hit by Explorer.  My though after driving thru there.  Either way, very tragic and heart breaking.

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