Fatal motorcycle accident

June 18, 2009 9:38 PM

HARTFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office is reporting a fatal motorcycle accident.

Deputies say that on Wednesday, Brian Tufnell, a 31-year-old man from Lainsgburg, and his passenger, 11-year-old Michael Tufnell were exiting eastbound I-94 and may have been traveling too fast to negotiate the curve.

Deputies say that the skid marks on the pavement indicated that Tufnell had locked up the brakes on his motorcycle in an attempt to stop, but slid sideways off the ramp and into the grass. Both driver and rider were thrown from the bike.

Both riders were wearing helmets at the time of the accident, but Brian sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash, he was pronounced dead on the scene. His passenger sustained several lacerations and a broken clavicle.