Thursday, October 29, 2009

Utility trailer disconnects, fatally striking woman

October 28, 2009 4:35 PM

KENT COUNTY, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A 46-year-old woman from Rockford has died after a utility trailer became disconnected from the van towing it.

The Kent County Sheriff's Department says that the incident occurred at 10 Mile Road in Courtland Township, when a utility trailer being towed by a white van became disconnected. The trailer became airborne and struck a vehicle driven by a 46-year-old woman from Rockford.

Deputies say the tongue of the trailer broke through the windshield, striking both occupants of the vehicle. The driver of the car was pronounced dead on the scene from fatal chest injuries. The front seat passenger of that vehicle suffered minor injuries and was transported to Butterworth Hospital.

ronmelancon wrote:

When you get a moment please say a prayer for the victim. Then go to www.dangeroustrailers.org and note... that this accident could have happened to each and every reader of this posting.

No regulations,, NO training,, no standards,,, for this class of vehicle.

Your state has nothing to charge him with... the most he will be charged with is an $80 fine and an unsecured load. That is it.

Please note that since 1975 over 15,211 lives have been lost by "passenger cars that tow trailers"

It is the lobby and special interest groups that are funded by U Haul and companies like Carry on trailers that have stopped our efforts and the Federal Government from doing anything about this pressing issue.

Please note... every time you are behind one of these trailers... get out of the way!

10/29/2009 11:57 AM MST on wwmt.com

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monkeybread wrote:

Must be Satan was responsible for the trailer and GOD worked in his mysterious way letting that poor 46 year old woman take the trailer tongue in the chest. It must be a miracle the passenger wasn't killed as well. Praise GOD, hallelujah, ....e-sarcasm.

10/29/2009 8:32 AM MST on wwmt.com

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scottephoto wrote:

I remember years back when a woman mowing her lawn was struck and killed when a trailer from a tandem-trailer broke loose and hit her.
You never know when your time on this planet is over.

10/29/2009 7:42 AM MST on wwmt.com

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levlwon wrote:

randym: You got very lucky to have yours break when it did. There are laws governing the safety chain strength and in Michigan, the chains and connection to the frame are supposed to be of sufficient strength to continue to hold and pull the trailer even when loaded to the trailer's max load. It's also up to the owner to maintain it. If they see it may be rusting through, the owner must have it inspected.

Even if only one of the welds on the trailer in the story were good, I would think the trailer would still be connected to the van. I'll be interested to see if it was connected properly and whether the driver may be charged. So sad every way you look at it.

10/29/2009 5:08 AM MST on wwmt.com

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randym wrote:

If you watch Ch. 8 news they have a better and more in depth story on this....The pin holding the receiver in the hitch must have fallen out because the whole receiver came out... And those of you who talk about the safety chains not being hooked up must have never had a trailer. I won't say all but, some trailer makers don't weld the chains well enough to the trailer frame so they can break off so easy.... I broke the chains off my trailer when I was pulling away from from trailer slow because, I had forgot to discount them before pulling away.... My heart goes out to all involved in the accident including the guy driving the van....

10/28/2009 10:46 PM MST on wwmt.com

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bobinutah wrote:

Somebody didn't do something right here. You are right spartanman. Somebody must not have connected the safety chains. Trailers don't just end up air born.

10/28/2009 7:46 PM MST on wwmt.com

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mcgerm wrote:

If they didn't connect the chains or it was an improper hitch then the van driver should be charged with manslaughter.

10/28/2009 7:07 PM MST on wwmt.com

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humbleharry wrote:

God's grace and comfort on this family.

10/28/2009 4:37 PM MST on wwmt.com

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spartanman wrote:

What the hell? Didn't they connect the chains?

10/28/2009 2:40 PM MST

Grattan Township woman victim of crash caused by runaway trailer

By Brian McVicar The Grand Rapids Press

October 28, 2009, 10:23PM

COURTLAND TOWNSHIP -- Toni Hall was an avid traveler and loving mother of two who got her thrills reeling in bass on Cowan Lake.

The 46-year-old Grattan Township resident often spent hours floating around the lake in her pontoon boat, cracking jokes with friends and family as she waited for just the right fish to nibble on her line.

"If she didn't answer her phone you know she was bringing in the big one," said Wendy Brower, Hall's partner. "She usually went for the big bass."

Hall died Wednesday after a trailer being pulled by a van on 10 Mile Road NE unhooked and collided with Hall's 2006 Mercury Mariner SUV.

A woman passenger in the SUV, 39-year-old Debra Dianne Carter, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released from Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital.

A metal pin holding the trailer in place may have come loose or failed, causing the hitch bar that went in the van's towing mechanism to come free and cause the9:24 a.m. crash near Je-Ne-Be Drive NE, the Kent County Sheriff's Department said..

The trailer, hauled behind a full-size van eastbound on 10 Mile Road, was carrying what appeared to be scrap metal. The van's driver, Thomas Edward Dells, 58, of Rockford, was not injured.

When the trailer went airborne, it lifted over a car following Dells' van and hit the westbound Mariner's windshield, with the trailer's tongue going through the glass. The hitch bar was still attached to the tongue of the trailer.

After the trailer struck Hall's SUV, she lost control and the vehicle, which rolled several times before landing upright in the road's south ditch, Kent County Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Dabkowski said.

Debris from the trailer were strewn along the road's north side.

Dabkowski said a report on the incident would be forwarded to the Kent County Prosecutor's Office to see if t any charges or citations are warranted.

Police said they did not find a license plate on the trailer, which appeared to be homemade.

Dells could not be reached for comment..

Brower described Hall as a fun-loving and spontaneous woman always eager to crack a joke and help her friends out.

"At the drop of a hat, she would want to go for a road trip and just get up and go," said Brower, who met Hall at a Grand Rapids Griffins hockey game in November 2007.

"She lived life to the fullest."

Hall managed five rental properties in Greenville and Belding, Brower said.

She had two grown daughters, Stephanie Helder and Tiffany Drye, and five grandchildren.

"Every year for their birthday she would take them to Chuck E. Cheese," Helder said.

"They would beg to stay over at grandma's house."

-- Press staff writer John Tunison contributed to this report.

Posted by runbum03

October 28, 2009, 10:46PM

My condolences to the family and friends.

This story, in my opinion, is too heavy on the details (which almost always seem to later change after a full report is in).

This sort of thing could happen to anyone of us on any given day.

State Police always kept a watchful eye on the scrappers and all of the other configurations on today's roads. We need them back.

Again, my condolences.

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Posted by Kevin Rahe

October 28, 2009, 11:45PM

5 minutes earlier and that could have been my wife and kids that got hit. Still, it's shocking when one of your neighbors gets killed in such a random way - could have been anyone. I'm guessing there was no backup safety attachment of the trailer to the vehicle such as chains/cables, as required by law. If that's true, I'd expect some serious fines and/or charges.

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Posted by Grama7

October 29, 2009, 6:24AM

I hope the owner of the van gets socked with penalties galore. If he has been pulling this trailer before, then he should know the laws governing pulling trailers by using backup safety such as chains, etc. Probably thought he could get away with it. Condolences to the family of the victim.

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Posted by JennaVeeVee25

October 29, 2009, 1:35PM

Toni is my very dear friend whom I love very much and will miss...I just met up with her a week ago to shoot pool and have dinner...and she called me this saturday to spend time with her...I wish I would have...Its sad to lose someone and never be able to tell them how much you love them...I love you Toni and I will never forget what you meant to me..I miss your silly laugh...you are in my heart...

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Posted by ronmelancon

October 29, 2009, 2:42PM

When you get a moment please say a prayer for the victim. Then go to www.dangeroustrailers.org and note... that this accident could have happened to each and every reader of this posting.

No regulations,, NO training,, no standards,,, for this class of vehicle.

Your state has nothing to charge him with... the most he will be charged with is an $80 fine and an unsecured load. That is it.

Please note that since 1975 over 15,211 lives have been lost by "passenger cars that tow trailers"

It is the lobby and special interest groups that are funded by U Haul and companies like Carry on trailers that have stopped our efforts and the Federal Government from doing anything about this pressing issue.

Please note... every time you are behind one of these trailers... get out of the way!

Woman killed after homemade trailer hits SUV near Rockford

By Barton Deiters | The Grand Rapids Press

October 28, 2009, 12:37PM

Update: Hitch pin likely came loose, causing fatal trailer-SUV crash, police said

COURTLAND TOWNSHIP -- A woman is dead after a homemade trailer hauled behind a van came unhinged on 10 Mile Road NE and flew through the windshield of an oncoming SUV.

The crash occurred just before 9:30 a.m. as the van was traveling east on 10 Mile Road near Brower Lake Road. Police said the trailer-hauling mechanism fell apart and the makeshift trailer flew over the top of a vehicle following and into the windshield of the westbound Mercury SUV, instantly killing the female driver, believed to be in her 40s, according to Kent County Sheriff's Deputy Steve Dabkowski.

A female passenger in the SUV was sent to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital with minor injuries, according to police. The van driver was not injured.

Police have not identified those involved and 10 Mile Road remained close for more than three hours after the crash.

E-mail Barton Deiters: bdeiters@grpress.com

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Hitch pin likely came loose, causing fatal trailer-SUV crash, police said

By John Tunison | The Grand Rapids Press

October 28, 2009, 2:26PM

UPDATE: Grattan Township woman victim of crash caused by runaway trailer

CANNON TOWNSHIP -- Police believe a metal pin holding a trailer hitch may have come loose or failed this morning on 10 Mile Road NE, causing a small trailer to let loose from a van and hit an oncoming SUV, killing a woman inside.

The driver of the SUV, identified by police as Toni Lynn Hall, 46, of Rockford, suffered a chest injury and died at the scene of the crash near Je-Ne-Be Drive NE after the trailer went airborne and hit the 2006 Mercury Mariner she was driving.

A woman passenger in the SUV, 39-year-old Debra Dianne Carter, was taken to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Kent County sheriff's deputies said.

The trailer, hauled behind a full-size van going east on 10 Mile Road, was carrying what appeared to be scrap metal in the 9:24 a.m. crash. The van's driver, Thomas Edward Dells, 58, of Rockford, was not injured.

Police said the hitch bar that fits into the van's square towing mechanism came free. When the trailer went airborne, it lifted over a car following the van and hit the westbound Mariner's windshield, with the trailer's tongue going through the glass. The hitch bar was still attached to the tongue of the trailer.

The Mariner driver then lost control and the vehicle rolled several times before landing upright in the road's south ditch, Kent County Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Dabkowski said.

Debris from the trailer were strewn along the north side of the road.

Dabkowski said a report on the incident would be forwarded to the Kent County Prosecutor's Office to see if the van's driver, who was not injured, should face any charges or citations.

Police said they did not find a license plate on the trailer, which appeared to be homemade.

Posted by a.a.b.

October 28, 2009, 2:48PM

This is a tragic accident. The driver of the van/trailer should definitely be sited. Even if the hitch failed, there are emergency precautions that should ALWAYS be followed. Furthermore, it is a law to have a license on trailers. The driver was negligent and tried to circumvent the law. And now, because of the driver's negligence a woman is dead. It could have been much, MUCH worse. An example should be made.

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Posted by pedro441

October 28, 2009, 3:04PM

a.a.b: "It could have been much, MUCH worse"

A woman is dead, I'm not sure it gets much worse than that.

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Posted by oneputtkelly

October 28, 2009, 3:50PM

Heartbreaking. Simply heartbreaking...
My heart goes out to the family of the victim!
Yes the driver of the VAN towing the trailer better be prosecuted.
There are safety measures that would have prevented this.
Safety Chains, re-enforced safety pins, etc....
my guess is the VAN driver was speeding over those hills there near that intersection and paid no heed to safety or the lives of others with this "homemade trailer".
I hope it is investigated thoroughly, let the facts come out and then throw the book at this VAN driver!
Again....to the famliy of the victim.....we are so sorry about your loss.

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Posted by ronmelancon

October 28, 2009, 4:59PM

The person who was towing a trailer that is obvious to any person as totally not worthy for the road.

The sad thing is the Sheriff department has nothing to charge him with except with a fine of under $100.00 and un secured load.

Your state has no inspections... no training on how to tow.... You do not even address "How to Tow" in your DMV manual.

In Ohio last month alone... a women was struck at her mail box by a LOOSE TRAILER...

A Father lost his life in Ohio by a loose trailer....it did not have a license plate and the driver did not stop...NOBODY KNOWS WHO KILLED HIM...

why?? IT IS THE powerful Utility Trailer industry that has stop any efforts to improve this class of vehicle.

This life did not have to end this way!!!!!!! "Random Victim Of Negligence"

We were just published as a letter to the editor in Texas..

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Posted by jpatrix

October 28, 2009, 5:26PM

Lesson of the day. "Clamp down on trailer trash"

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Posted by Thinkaboutit

October 28, 2009, 5:42PM

a.a.b.

Well I am not sure whether the driver of the van should be sited, but maybe cited? Furthermore, accidents do happen. This is very tragic, but your "sky is falling" attitude is a little much. Some how you draw the conclusion that the driver continually circumvents the law based on the trailer not having a license plate. Seriously, that is quite a jump!? I would also like you to explain how this could have been much worse. I mean hypotheticall I suppose this trailer could have kept rolling taken out a few school busses, ran over a a group of nuns crossing the street, and smushed a gathering of cute bunnies.

All being said, I feel terrible for everyone involved in this. The families of the deceased and the driver of the van. Clearly, none of this was intentional and it really is a shame.

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Posted by +openminded

October 28, 2009, 7:03PM

Several things need to be addressed in this very unfortunate incident.
1. If indeed the trailer was home-made then it needed some type of inspection to certify that it was roadworthy.
2. Were there safety chains employed?
3. Was the trailer licensed?
If no to any of these items the driver of the van should be facing criminal charges.
In my experience as custom trailer builder, hitch pins do not just fail unless a pin has been substituted of the incorrect diameter or material employed.
Someone's carelessness has caused the death of an innocent driver. At least that appears to be the case which is very saddening.

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Posted by ronmelancon

October 28, 2009, 7:03PM

Think about it....

Since 1975 15,211 lives have been lost by "Passenger Cars That Tow Trailers"

Since 1988 over 732,003 things like cars...vans,,and trailers destroyed..

Since 1988 over 435,154 people have been injured...

and we do nothing?

I find this unacceptable....

The van's driver is at fault... look at the condition of the trailer...

no plate..

no safety chains...

and he does not care about anybody's life who is behind him.

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Posted by craigyjoebob

October 28, 2009, 7:39PM

I am sorry for the loss of life. However your statement that 732003 vehicles were destroyed due too loose trailers, sounds like a great program like Cash For Clunkers, only without costing the government $3,000,000,000.00.

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Posted by stopandthinkaboutwhatyouaresaying

October 28, 2009, 10:18PM

very tragic for all involved, unless you idiots know the whole story... not just
the inaccurate bs on the local tv stations then please keep your stupid judgeMENTAL opinions to yourself. it was an accident! the driver is an incredible individual - selfless - in turmoil over this - would give you the shirt off his back - broken.......

you are all so wise and brave offering your ignorant opinions for the world to read as you sit hidden behind your computers in your underwear.... you fools.

accidents happen. horrible accidents that leave so many people asking why. i'm asking why in this case. innocence . . . . . . for all involved.

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Posted by a.a.b.

October 28, 2009, 11:19PM

Toni was a friend of mine. She was the most genuine person I know. For all those who question my "much" worse statement... what if it would have hit both cars? What if it had killed both passengers? Forgive me if I misspelled a word or two. I was in shock.
I am not stupid. I have been licensed in driving very big machinery. I understand legalities and I understand "Safety Precautions". It may have been an accident. But, if negligence was indeed the case (and not following proper safety precautions is negligence), something should be done.

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Unhooked trailer kills oncoming driver

Crash happened around 9:30 a.m.

Updated: Wednesday, 28 Oct 2009, 6:24 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 28 Oct 2009, 11:01 AM EDT

By Ken Kolker

CANNON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - A trailer came unhooked from a van and flew into the windshield of an oncoming vehicle, killing that driver Wednesday morning.

The accident happened at 10 Mile Road and Je Ne Be in northern Kent County. The trailer was attached to a van headed east, but came unhooked. It flew over one westbound vehicle but hit the following car's windshield.

The driver was killed and the passenger suffered minor injuries.

Deputies told 24 Hour News 8 the homemade trailer was hauling salvage metals.

At this writing, no tickets have been issued, but police continue their investigation. Police say there are two possibilities: mechanical failure or negligence. If it's mechanical failure, there would be no charges. If negligence is involved, charges could follow.

Early indications are the steel pin that holds the ball mount to the van's hitch somehow came loose, allowing the trailer to break free.

"At this point, we can't find the pin," said Sgt. Steve Dabkowski of the Kent County Sheriff's Department. "He wouldn't have been able to pull the trailer if the pin wasn't in, so he had to start off with the pin in there and it somehow, it looks like the pin probably fell off somehow."

The owner of Hitches by George, Jim Peterman, told 24 Hour News 8 he's heard of only three hitches like this coming loose in his 40 years in the business, and none of them led to injuries.

The likely culprit, he said, is the clip that holds the pin in place.

"The clip has to come off the pin first and then the pin has to work out of the trailer," Peterman said.

Even without a pin, safety chains should have prevented the accident, Peterman said. They are required by state law. "Safety chains should have kept the trailer behind the vehicle, and not let it go airborne."

Investigators are trying to determine if safety chains were used and attached properly.

24 Hour News 8 will continue to follow this story.

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Daph4444 56p · 1 day ago

CANNON TWP., Mich. - Kent County Sheriff's Deputies are on the scene of a fatal accident in northern Kent County.

The three-car crash happened at the corner of 10 Mile Road and Brower around 9:30 Wednesday morning.

A van pulling a snowmobile-type trailer was heading eastbound on 10 Mile Road when the trailer disconnected while on a hill. The trailer flew over a car and landed on another vehicle heading westbound. The driver of that vehicle was killed and a passenger was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the van was uninjured.

10 Mile Road is closed between Je-ne-be and Brower and will be until about noon.

Dangerous Trailers Accidents That Just Happend

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Utility trailer disconnects, fatally striking woman

Utility trailer disconnects, fatally striking woman

Grattan Township woman victim of crash caused by runaway trailer

Grattan Township woman victim of crash caused by runaway trailer

By Brian McVicar The Grand Rapids Press

October 28, 2009, 10:23PM

Woman killed after homemade trailer hits SUV near Rockford

By Barton Deiters | The Grand Rapids Press

October 28, 2009, 12:37PM

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Hitch pin likely came loose, causing fatal trailer-SUV crash, police said

Hitch pin likely came loose, causing fatal trailer-SUV crash, police said

By John Tunison | The Grand Rapids Press

October 28, 2009, 2:26PM

Unhooked trailer kills oncoming driver

Unhooked trailer kills oncoming driver

Crash happened around 9:30 a.m.

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