By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
While the Van Buren Township Planning Commission was considering federally funded work planned for Belleville Road to make it safer, police were cleaning up after a head-on collision in the area being discussed.
The personal-injury accident occurred at about 5:05 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 14, just south of Meijer when a Cadillac Seville turning right onto southbound Belleville Road crossed the center line and traveled into the north-bound lanes.
VBT Police Lt. Kenneth Floro said the Cadillac, driven by Jackie Van Steppes, 57, of Belleville, struck a Dodge Dakota pickup truck head on. Van Steppes suffered serious injuries from the accident and was transported to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital by Huron Valley Ambulance.
The driver of the Dodge Dakota was 63-year-old Bernard Evans of Belleville who was not injured and was released at the scene.
Lt. Floro said the incident remains under investigation and speed and alcohol are believed to be contributing factors in the accident.
That evening the VBT Planning Commission endorsed a plan that would put a new traffic signal in the area of the site the accident took place.
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1 Comment
Weather
Though I agree we need a better traffic signal there because of the very high volume of left-hand turns there (from WB Tyler to SB Belleville and from SB Belleville to EB Tyler), I don’t think it would have any bearing on this particular accident. If Belleville Road were a divided highway, perhaps, though I would not advocate such a radical change for a variety of reasons.