5 Bicyclists Killed, 4 Injured in Kalamazoo County Crash

Five bicyclists were killed and four others were seriously injured when they were struck by a truck Tuesday night in Kalamazoo County.

Leading up to the crash, law enforcement officials in three different jurisdictions had received calls about a blue truck driving erratically, Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting said in a news conference Tuesday night.

Just after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, before officials from any of those jurisdictions were able to locate the driver, a blue pickup truck heading north on Westnedge Ave. ran into a group of nine bicyclists. The truck became disabled after it hit the bicyclists, and when police arrived, they were able to locate the man who they believe was driving the truck nearby.

The man, described as a 50-year-old man from West Michigan, was arrested.

The riders were riding on the right edge of the pavement, climbing a hill, when they were struck from behind, Getting said.

Gov. Rick Snyder released a statement Wednesday morning regarding the crash.

The five deceased bicyclists were pronounced dead at the scene. Two of the victims went to Bronson Methodist Hospital; the other two were taken to Borgess Medical Center. All four of them were seriously injured.

Getting addressed the fact that this tragedy comes less than four months after the shooting spree that rocked the city of Kalamazoo and the state of Michigan.

I'm at a loss to describe how I feel about the impact to the community. I have every confidence in Kalamazoo and in Kalamazoo County and I know how the community will respond. I just wish we had had more of an opportunity to get our feet under us before we had to do it again.

Names of the driver and the victims have not yet been released.

Watch Prosecutor Jeff Getting's full press briefing from WOOD-TV8 below: