Southfield (WWJ) -- Three Macomb County high school students are dead, another is in critical condition after a head-on crash along Gratiot Avenue in Chesterfield Township.
A pickup truck, school bus and car were involved in the Tuesday afternoon accident that happened between 24 and 25 Mile Roads. View more photos of the crash.
Police have identified the victims as Robert James McGuire, Jordan Matthew Vandeputte and Nicholas Robert Noble, all age 17. The driver of the pick-up James Lacoursiere, 17 of Chesterfield Township, is currently listed in critical condition at a local hospital.
Scott Alan Richards age 21 of Warren; a passenger in the second car was also taken to a local hospital and is currently listed in stable condition. 21-year-old Scott Alan Richards, a resident of Warren, was in another vehicle involved in the accident. He was taken to a local hospital and listed in stable condition.
Two of the 17 year old victims were students at L'Anse Creuse North High School.
A candlelight vigil was being held at the school Tuesday evening. Grief counselors are at the school Wednesday.
No students were on the bus. The bus driver wasn't hurt.
Chesterfield Township police are continuing to investigate. Students and witnesses at the scene tell WWJ's Pat Sweeting the victims may have been playing a game of chicken or been involved in some type of road rage.
The Macomb Daily reports investigators were looking into reports that occupants of the two cars were throwing beer cans at each other while driving. A number of beer cans were visible inside of the truck, according to witnesses.
WWJ's Lance Howard in the Saturn Chopper reported the front end of the pickup truck was smashed as was the front end of the school bus. The backend of the car was also damaged. There were no students on the New Haven Community Schools bus. The bus driver was hurt, but its unclear how serious the injuries were.
One man who works near the crash scene said they heard a "squeal and bang." A woman who lives along Gratiot said the crash "shook her home."
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