Motorcyclist killed after hitting fallen tree in road

A fallen tree that landed on a rural stretch of road led to a crash that claimed the life of a motorcyclist in Van Buren County.

The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office says deputies were called to 48 1/2 Street just north of Phoenix Street on Monday for an unresponsive person in the roadway. The person who called 911 had spotted the downed tree in his way and stopped. It was only when they took a closer look that they spotted the man lying in the branches alongside a motorcycle.

Deputies say the 38-year-old motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet and suffered massive head trauma from hitting the tree. It's not clear how long the man had been laying there before he was found. Investigators say skid marks in the dirt road started about 40 feet before the tree, indicating the driver may have had only a split second to react.

Alcohol and drugs have not been ruled out as factors in the crash.

Michigan State Police helped identify the motorcyclist through the use of a fingerprint scanner.

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