1 injured in Stateline Road crash

Published 12:44 am Wednesday, March 16, 2011

A two-vehicle accident at South 11th Street and Stateline Road in Niles Township Tuesday afternoon left one person injured. (Daily Star photo/KATIE ROHMAN)

A woman was transported to the hospital Tuesday after her pickup was struck by a car on South 11th Street and Stateline Road.

According to Niles Charter Township Fire Chief Gary Brovold, the accident occurred at 1:34 p.m. in front of Murdock Used Cars.

The pickup driver, who was unidentified, sustained injuries and was treated by Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance Service. She was the only occupant of the vehicle.

According to the driver of the four-door Cadillac, James Bray, 48, of Niles, he was traveling from South Bend when the pickup driver pulled in front of him, causing a T-bone accident. Bray, the only occupant of his vehicle, claimed he was sore, but refused treatment at the scene.

Also responding were the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police Niles Post.

The crash is one of several recently in that area. The Stateline Road and South 11th Street intersection has yield lights but no stop lights.

On Oct. 11, a Niles resident, Justine Nsumba, and her passenger, Dashonda Anderson, also of Niles, were injured when Nsumba attempted to make a left-hand turn onto State Line Road in front of a Buchanan cab driver, Philip Hempel. Nsumba received a citation.

On Nov. 9, a two-vehicle collision at the intersection between Nicholas Buzas of South Bend and Michael Speer of Arkansas caused Speer’s car to crash into Stateline Cafe at 3159 South 11th St. No one was injured.

Dick Murdock, who has owned Murdock Used Cars for 11 years, said he has seen many accidents at the intersection.

“I would love to see a light there,” Murdock said. “I don’t know how many more people have to be hurt or killed. It’s scary.”