Police release names of Pokagon Township crash victims

Published 11:22 am Monday, June 4, 2018

POKAGON TOWNSHIP — Police have released the names of the victims of a Pokagon Township crash that left two dead and five others injured Sunday night.

Deputies responded to a two car, head-on collision at 8 p.m. Sunday on M-51, south of Crystal Springs Street in Pokagon Township.

Initial investigation shows a southbound PT Cruiser, driven by Lee Ann Romita Saenz, 34, of Mishawaka, collided with a northbound Chevrolet Impala, when the PT Cruiser crossed over the center line into the northbound lane.

David William Conner, 31, of Niles, was a back seat passenger in the P.T. Cruiser and died from injuries sustained in the crash.  Tracy Louise Seitenstich, 37, of Dowagiac, was a back seat passenger in the Chevy Impala and also died from injuries sustained in the accident.

Others involved in the accident were transported to area hospitals for varying levels of injury. Saenz is currently listed in critical Condition at South Bend Memorial Hospital. Benjamin Lee Meiser, 34, of Dowagiac, was a front seat passenger in the Chevy Impala and was transported to Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital in Dowagiac with non-life threatening injuries. Phillip Joseph-John Seitenstich, 32, of Dowagiac, was the driver of the Chevy Impala and was transported to Borgess, Lee Memorial Hospital in Dowagiac for non-life threatening injuries. Scott Dean Cole, 30, of Niles, was a back seat passenger in the P.T. Cruiser and is in serious, but stable condition. Kennethia Mary Hoyle, 33 of Ann Arbor, Michigan, was the front seat passenger in the P.T. Cruiser and was flown to Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She is listed in serious but stable condition.

Seatbelts were worn by some occupants. Alcohol and drug use is unknown at this time. The incident is still under investigation.

Assisting at the scene of the crash were Pokagon Tribal Police, Dowagiac Police Department, Silver Creek Police Department, Aeromed out of Grand Rapids, Pride Care ambulance, Medflight, SMCAS ambulance, Dowagiac, Pokagon and Howard Township Fire departments and Samaritan air ambulance.