Pickup hits motorcycle; passenger dies

WAYLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - A man is behind bars accused of causing a fatal accident and leaving the scene Friday night.

Michael Awrey, 57, from Martin was arraigned Monday on five felonies related to the crash. The most serious  - operating while under the influence causing death - is a 15-year felony. In all, he faces up to 30 years behind bars.

Kimberly Anne Roden of Shelbyville was the passenger on the motorcycle and  suffered severe injuries. She later died at Spectrum Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. She was 49.

The driver of the motorcycle -- 53-year-old Steven Colvin Roden of Shelbyville -- suffered broken vertebrae and a broken hip. He is expected to recover.

The helmet-wearing riders were about a mile from home when the crash occurred near 129th Avenue and Eighth Street in Bradley about 9:30 p.m. Friday, police said.

A neighbor called 911 after hearing a loud noise and then screaming. A pickup truck was seen leaving the area, southbound on 10th Street, with front-end damage and a flat tire.

Rescue personnel arrived at the crash scene and saw the injured Rodens in a ditch and their motorcycle, which appeared to have been struck from behind by the suspected pickup truck.

A Michigan State Police trooper saw the pickup truck and attempted a traffic stop but the driver did not obey. A short pursuit ensued until the suspect drove into a driveway in the Martin area. The driver was arrested after a "short struggle with the trooper," according to a news release from the Allegan County Sheriff's Department.

The suspect then admitted to causing the crash with the motorcycle, and leaving the scene because he had been drinking, police said.

While being taken into custody, the suspect's vehicle caught on fire due to damage on the wheel well that had the flat tire. The trooper tried to extinguish the fire but couldn't so the fire department was called.

At the arraignment, Roden's cousin Tim Drummond watched the proceedings. But he hoped for more answers.

"I don't know," he said. "I just wanted to see what he looks like, just to understand how you could hit, how you could do that, and just take off and not even offer to try to help."

24 Hour News 8's Steve Kelso contributed to this report.