Police investigating fatal crash in Berrien County

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. – The Michigan State Police Niles Post is investigating a crash that left one person dead Monday and another person seriously injured.

At 8:30 p.m. Monday, troopers were called to the intersection of Shawnee Road and Garr Road in Oronoko Township for reports of an accident.

A black Saturn SUV was traveling northbound on Garr Road and did not stop for a stop sign, reports said.

When the SUV entered the intersection, it hit a red Toyota passenger car that was traveling westbound on Shawnee Road with the right of way, police said.

The driver of the passenger car, 66-year-old Justo Morales from De Kalb, Illinois, was pronounced dead at the scene.

His passenger, a 66-year-old female, suffered severe injuries and was taken to a local hospital.

The driver of the SUV, a 19-year-old from Benton Harbor, and his passenger, a 20-year-old female from Benton Harbor, were taken to a local hospital with no reported injuries.

Drugs are suspected to be a factor regarding the driver of the SUV. He was arrested and taken to the Berrien County Jail pending charges and arraignment.

All people involved in the crash were wearing seat belts.

This crash is under investigation.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect a correction issued by Michigan State Police. Originally, police said Morales was not wearing a seat belt, but that was incorrect. The story has been updated that he was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.


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