Ionia woman charged with driving under the influence in crash that killed 2 in Make-A-Wish bicycle tour

IONIA, Mich. (WILX) - A 42-year-old woman has been charged in connection with the death of two bicyclists Saturday.

According to authorities, two men were participating in the Make-A-Wish Bicycle Tour when they were struck by an SUV at about 11:15 a.m. The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office said Mandy Marie Benn was traveling northbound on Stage Road moved into the southbound lanes to go around a UPS truck that was slowing down to stop.

The vehicle struck the oncoming cyclists. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed one person died at the scene, while another was rushed to a hospital in Grand Rapids, where he died. Three cyclists were injured and hospitalized.

Related: Make-A-Wish Michigan touches on the fatal crash that killed 2 bicyclists

The two men have been identified by the Sheriff’s Office as Edward Erickson, a 48-year-old man from Ann Arbor, and Michael Salhaney, a 57-year-old man from Bloomfield Hills.

As of Monday, only one victim remains hospitalized. Authorities said they are expected to recover. The other two victims have been treated and since released from the hospital.

Authorities said they do not believe Benn saw the bicyclists prior to the crash and added the collision happened on a straight roadway with no visual obstructions.

Benn was charged with two counts of operating while intoxicated resulting in death, one count of operating while intoxicated and one count of second offence operating while intoxicated.

She is being held at Ionia County Jail on a $1,000,000 cash/surety bond.

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