Police release name of man killed in Ypsilanti Township crash
James Edward Wright Jr. died after his truck crashed into a tree on Whittaker Road in Ypsilanti Township Wednesday morning.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office on Thursday released the name of the 38-year-old Ypsilanti Township man killed in an accident Wednesday morning.
James Edward Wright Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene after the box truck he was driving went off Whittaker Road near Sea Mist Drive and crashed into a tree, police said.
Wright was the only person in the vehicle. A preliminary investigation revealed no indication that Wright hit the brakes before colliding with the tree.
Per procedure, the Medical Examiner is taking a look at the body, said Sgt. Geoff Fox of the sheriff's office. Police were not releasing any other information about the investigation.
The truck crossed the the centerline of Whittaker and crashed into the tree just before 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, police said.
The tree the box truck hit is directly next to a tree involved in a fatal crash a few years ago. Sixteen-year-old Caitlyn Varney and her cousin, 24-year-old Jessica Varney died in that accident on April 27, 2009. More recently, a head-on collision resulted in the death of a 19-year-old Whittaker man in that same area on Sept. 22, 2012.
The crash that killed Wright was one of two fatal crashes in Washtenaw County Wednesday. Jeffrey Randolph, 49, of Ypsilanti, died when the 2004 Chevrolet Aveo he was driving ran off northbound U.S. 23 near the Carpenter Road Exit shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday, police said.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
actionjackson
Fri, Apr 26, 2013 : 11:31 a.m.
Novel idea....cut down those trees!!!
OLDTIMER3
Thu, Apr 25, 2013 : 8:09 p.m.
Isn't this the wreck that happened a few weeks ago? Not yesterday.
MommaM
Fri, Apr 5, 2013 : 11:54 p.m.
Prayers being sent to the Wright family. James was an amazing friend to my daughter and son-in-law. He will be missed and remembered for a long time.
Sam S Smith
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 9:43 p.m.
Special thoughts and prayers for this young man, his family and friends!
Cash
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 4:17 p.m.
So, so sorry for the family of this man. There are no words, but we try anyway. He is gone way too soon.
tpapp
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 4:01 p.m.
an amazing man lost WAY to soon...
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 3:37 p.m.
"Per procedure, the Medical Examiner is taking a look at the body,..." -------- is that the same as an autopsy?
Mr. Ed
Thu, Apr 4, 2013 : 3:49 p.m.
It's the law not a procedure. Sgt. Fox needs to study more. Here is the law- http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(pkvclq453d5pwhembb0c0ert))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-Act-181-of-1953