UPDATE: Semi driver rear-ends 2 cars; 4-year-old in most serious condition.

#OceanaCountyNews #US31Crash

By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.

A semi-truck driver rear-ended two vehicles, one of which was transporting a family of five from Port Huron, on US 31 near Stony Lake Road Tuesday afternoon, July 5, in heavy southbound traffic, according to an Oceana County Sheriff’s Office accident report.

Jonathon William Ashley, 25, of Ludington, was driving a 2016 Freightliner owned by Apache Logistics of Holland at 12:45 p.m., when the horrific crash backed up traffic for hours as vacationers were heading back south after the Fourth of July weekend.

According to the report, 4-year-old Connor Julius Weston was most seriously injured in the crash. Connor was riding in a 2000 Subaru Outback driven by Benajmain Seeley Weston. Also in the car were Michelle Joy Weston, 36; Dylan Thomas Weston, 7; and Logan Alexander Weston, 10.

The semi also struck a 2016 Mazda driven by Jerrine Marie Forrest, 34, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

“Ashley, Forrest and Weston were all traveling south on US 31 near Stony Lake Road,” the accident report states. “Forrest and Weston were slowing down for traffic backed up on the freeway. Ashley stated he was looking to his right at a truck which went off the roadway to get to the Stony Lake Road exit ramp to avoid the traffic. When Ashley looked back in front of him, Forrest and Weston’s vehicles were slowing for traffic. Ashley’s semi-truck ran into the back of both Forrest and Weston’s vehicles.”

Ashley received bumps and bruises in the crash. Connor Weston was most seriously injured, and all of the others involved received serious injuries, according to the report. Everyone involved was properly restrained with a seatbelt or child seat. Airbags did not deploy in any of the vehicles, although the semi and the Subaru were not equipped with them.

Ashley has not yet been cited, according to the report.