ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. — Authorities have identified the individuals involved in a devastating wrong-way crash that left four people dead and two others seriously injured early Sunday morning, November 2, on U.S. 131. The tragic collision occurred when one driver entered the highway traveling in the opposite direction, resulting in a violent head-on crash that has shaken the local community.
According to the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office, the wrong-way driver has been identified as 38-year-old Erin Louise Jones of Grand Rapids. Investigators determined that Jones was driving a Subaru Legacy when she entered the highway heading the wrong way. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The second vehicle, a Ford Fusion traveling in the correct direction, was driven by 18-year-old Emmanuel Browning of Kalamazoo, who also died in the crash. A front-seat passenger, another 18-year-old male, was pronounced deceased at the scene as well.
Lt. Brandon Berens with the sheriff’s office explained that Jones had initially been traveling southbound on U.S. 131 before exiting at 129th Avenue. Instead of continuing north, she reportedly entered the northbound on-ramp, made a U-turn at the base, and began driving south in the northbound lanes, leading to the fatal impact. The cause of her actions remains under investigation, with officials reviewing whether impairment or other factors played a role.
On Tuesday, police confirmed that a fourth victim, a 17-year-old girl from the Portage area who was a passenger in the Fusion, also succumbed to her injuries sustained in the crash. Authorities have not released her name or that of another juvenile who died, citing their age and the families’ requests for privacy during this time of immense grief. Two other occupants of the Ford Fusion suffered serious injuries and remain hospitalized.
The sheriff’s office stated that no additional names will be released out of respect for the families. “This was a heartbreaking and avoidable tragedy,” officials said, emphasizing the ongoing investigation and urging drivers to remain vigilant on highways, especially during early morning hours when visibility is low.
As the Allegan County community mourns, friends and loved ones of the victims have begun sharing tributes online, describing the young lives lost as bright, ambitious, and full of promise. The tragedy serves as a painful reminder of how a single wrong turn can have devastating, irreversible consequences.
