All,

Thursday morning in Comstock Township, Michigan, near Kalamazoo, a woman was killed in a crash - when her vehicle was involved in that crash with a truck driven by a Firefighter responding to a fire call. The Firefighter was in his own personal vehicle. Read the circumstances below.

The woman drove into the path of that Firefighter who was responding to another crash that occurred minutes earlier. The woman has been identified as Audrey Jean Kurka.

Kurka, 51, of Comstock Township, was waiting in traffic in the passing lane of northbound Sprinkle Road when she attempted a U-turn and pulled her 2010 Nissan Cube into the middle turn lane at around 0830 hours. Her car was struck on the driver's side by a northbound 2005 GMC Sierra pickup truck -driven by Comstock volunteer Firefighter Shaun Hughes, 32.    

Hughes, who had the emergency lights and siren on his truck activated, was responding to a report of a head-on crash when Kurka turned in front of him.

Hughes was initially traveling in the passing lane of northbound Sprinkle but then moved over to the middle turn lane because of the traffic backup. The point of impact between Hughes' truck and Kurka's car was near the "westernmost stripe" of the middle turn lane.

"Hughes didn't have time for evasive action," the local undersheriff said.

Hughes, who was not seriously injured in the crash, was taken from the scene to the hospital in a private vehicle--Kurka was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators did not yet know how fast Hughes was going. That determination will be made as part of the continuing investigation and crash reconstruction. 

Another grim reminder of the high risks of emergency response-to us and those on the road, regardless of the circumstances. More to follow.

Take Care. Be Careful. Pass It On.

BillyG

The Secret List 4-19-14/0715 hours

www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com