Crash That Killed Fenton Man Spurs Action to Improve Safety of Intersection

A local mother is taking action to help improve the safety of one of Hartland’s busier intersections after a recent crash resulted in a Fenton man's death.

The corner of Clyde Road and Fenton Road, where a 56-year-old Roger Miles died last week in a fatal accident, is currently without any type of light or stop signals. Speed, poor lighting and road conditions combine to make this intersection dangerous for drivers, according to resident Adrienne Conner.

“I can’t tell you how many times I have missed my own street because it’s so dark there,” Conner said. “There’s no street lamp, let alone a stoplight getting people to slow down at that intersection.”

On Jan. 11, Treena Jean Beazley of Howell was reportedly driving a 1990 Jeep Wrangler and traveling west on Clyde Road when she failed to stop for a stop sign and crashed her vehicle into a 2011 Dodge Caliber driven by Miles of Fenton. Police suspect that alcohol may have been involved.

Conner, who was home last Friday night, said she could hear the sounds of a crash from her family room and after hearing of the tragedy, immediately began contacting officials at various places including the Hartland Township, MDOT and the Livingston County Road Commission.

One of her first calls was to Robert West, director of Public Works for Hartland Township and Conner says her request for help was answered quickly and she is both “happy and impressed with the progress so far.”

West, who is new to the Public Works division in Hartland says he is still learning the process and procedures, but says an installation request for a streetlight at the corner of Clyde and Fenton Roads has been submitted to the Livingston County Road Commission and DTE.

Whether or not the new light would be a three-way stoplight or simply a streetlight to help with visibility is still being determined, according to West. There is also no time frame as of yet, on when a new light could be installed since the road commission is waiting on DTE to process the request.

“We are moving forward with it, but right now we are at the mercy of DTE,” he said. 

Recognizing that alcohol may have been a factor in the Jan. 11 accident, West also stresses the need for safe driving on all of the roads in Hartland and to know the conditions of the dirt or gravel roads.

“We encourage anyone driving down those roads to operate at a safe speed,” West said. “Often times, the conditions can change rapidly depending on the weather, whether it be snow, ice or rain.”

And for Conner, living near the site of the accident, her hope is that any type of safety measure will help prevent future tragedies. 

“Out of something so horrific and tragic, I would really like to see something positive,” she said.