IONIA COUNTY, Mich. (WLNS) — The driver who killed two people and injured three others during a ‘Make a Wish’ bike ride Saturday has been charged.
Mandy Marie Benn, 42, has been charged with two counts of operating while intoxicated causing death, a 15-year felony, one count of operating while intoxicated, a 93-day misdemeanor, and second offense notice operating while intoxicated, a one year misdemeanor.
Benn was arraigned in the 64A District Court and is being held on a $1 million cash/surety bond at the Ionia County Jail.
The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office says Benn was heading north on Stage Road when a UPS truck in front of her began to slow down.
Benn then moved into the other lane to try and go around the truck and ran into the path of the bicyclists.
Officials said it does not appear that Benn ever saw the bikers, and added that this took place on a straight roadway where there were no vision obstructions or intersections involved.
The sheriff’s office has also identified the two victims who passed away as 48-year-old Edward Erikson from Ann Arbor, and 57-year-old Michael Salhaney of Bloomfield Hills.
All three of the other vicitms were treated at hospitals around lower Michigan, officials said.
One of the victims is in serious but stable condition, and the other two victims were treated and released from the hospital.
All five of bicyclists were participating in the Make a Wish Bicycle Tour, a three day endurance ride covering most of the State of Michigan.
