RONALD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A SUV driven by a suspected drunken driver struck a group of bicyclists who were participating in a charity event in western Michigan, killing two men and severely injuring at least three others, authorities said.
The vehicle crossed a center line in Ionia County and hit the bicyclists on a rural road Saturday, the sheriff’s office said.
“The impact caused critical injuries to all the cyclists, and emergency responders worked diligently to preserve the lives of the victims,” the sheriff’s office said.
Two men died. The three survivors had severe injuries. All were from the eastern side of the state.
They were participating in a three-day endurance ride for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the sheriff’s office said.
The driver was taken to the county jail. No names were released.
“Our staff and the entire Make-A-Wish family are heartbroken and offer our deepest sympathy for the riders involved, their loved ones” and others who participated in the event, the group said.
