KALAMAZOO (WKZO) -- Kalamazoo County deputies are trying to identify a man who was struck and killed by a semi about 10:30 Monday night on I-94 near Cork Street.
The eastbound lane of I-94 was closed for nearly 3 hours late last night and early this morning as deputies interviewed witnesses and recorded the scene.
They will be going through missing persons reports and are asking for the public's help to ID the victim, but they gave no description. The truck driver, from Iowa, was apparently sober and was not distracted at the time of the collision.
Two other car-pedestrian accidents are under investigation.
A disabled Gobles man was killed when he was struck by a southbound car on M-40 as he crossed the road in his motorized wheelchair about 7am Monday morning.
Dead is Raymond Effner, a man in his 60's.
Police said it was dark and his chair had no lights or reflectors.
He was rushed to Lakeview Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The 18-year-old driver was not speeding, and just did not see Effner until it was too late. He was not injured.
In another case, a Monday morning traffic accident around the same time resulted in hospital treatment for a local woman.
Just after 7 a.m. Portage Police were called to the intersection of Idaho and Oregon Street near Portage Northern High School on a report that a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle. They found that a 27-year-old woman had been hit by a 17-year-old Portage student driver in the intersection.
Witnesses said, though, that the student was travelling at a slow speed at the time of the accident.
The woman told officers that she was experiencing some back pain and she was taken to Bronson Hospital. An investigation is still underway, but police do ask that everyone remember to wear brightly colored or reflective clothing when out walking on dark winter mornings.
