Man sentenced for Cooper Township accident that killed 2 on motorcycle

COOPER TOWNSHIP, MI - A man has been sentenced to prison for an accident in Cooper Township that killed two people on a motorcycle, WOOD TV reports.

The incident took place July 20, 2022 on Douglas Avenue near West C Avenue. Authorities said Jory Wiersma of Kalamazoo, now 37, was driving at a high rate of speed and passing another vehicle when he collided with a motorcycle head-on.

Two Kalamazoo residents on the motorcycle, 69-year-old Jeanette Barraia and 68-year-old Calvin Olinger, died in the wreck. Wiersma later pleaded no contest to two counts of operating while intoxicated causing death and being a habitual offender.

On Monday, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office announced that Wiersma had been sentenced to seven years to 22 years and six months in prison.

As more information becomes available, our Michigan car accident lawyer will update this news blog.

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