By Staff
CASSOPOLIS – Cass County Sheriff Joseph M. Underwood Jr. reports his deputies are investigating a fatal traffic crash that occurred at 10:16 a.m. Tuesday on M-62 at Old 62 in Pokagon Township. A passenger vehicle driven by Alejo Mata-Angeles, 37, of Benton Harbor, was stopped at Old 62 when it pulled out in front of an eastbound delivery truck driven by Charles Bair, 61, of Niles.
The front-seat passenger in the Mata-Angeles vehicle, Elvira Mata-Angeles, 43, of Benton Harbor, had to be extricated from the vehicle. She was transported to Dowagiac's Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital, where she died from her injuries.
Three of Elvira Mata-Angeles' children, Faviola Ramirez, 5; Daniel Ramirez, 3; and Jaricxel Ramirez, 8, were in the back seat of the vehicle. All sustained injuries and were taken to Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital.
The driver, Alejo Mata-Angeles, was also transported to Borgess-Lee.
Bair and his passenger, John Adcock, 61, of Berrien Springs, were not injured.
Deputies reported alcohol does not appear to be a factor. Seatbelts were used, however, two children do not appear to have been belted into car seats.
Cass County Sheriff's Office was assisted on scene by Pokagon Band tribal police, Indian Lake Fire Department, Dowagiac Fire rescue, Coloma ambulance and Sister Lakes ambulance. The crash remains under investigation.