On Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, at approximately 2:56 a.m., deputies from the Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the area of 220th Avenue and Elder Road in Mecosta Township for a wreck.

The crash came from a report received via iPhone crash detection. Upon arrival, deputies located a single vehicle fully engulfed in flames in the west ditch of 220th Avenue.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the vehicle had been traveling southbound on 220th Avenue near Elder Road, when the driver failed to navigate a curve, veered off the roadway, and struck a guardrail. The impact caused the vehicle to overturn and catch fire.

The driver, a 36-year-old man from Traverse City, was able to free himself from the wreckage prior to deputies’ arrival. He was transported by Mecosta County Emergency Medical Services to Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash. The driver was the only occupant in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

The Mecosta County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Mecosta Township Fire Department, Mecosta County EMS, Ferris State University Department of Public Safety, and Frontline Towing.