MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A 27-year-old motorcyclist lost his life Sunday night following a violent collision with a pickup truck at a busy intersection in Muskegon County. The victim has been identified as Jay Sims, a lifelong resident of the Muskegon area. The crash occurred near the intersection of South Mill Iron Road and Apple Avenue at approximately 9:10 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, according to Muskegon Township Police Chief Patrick VanDommelen.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene within minutes to find Sims suffering from catastrophic injuries. Despite their best efforts to provide life-saving aid, Sims succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Authorities confirmed that no other injuries were reported in connection with the collision, including the occupants of the pickup truck.
The Victim: Jay Sims, 27, of Muskegon
Friends and family have begun to remember Jay Sims as a passionate motorcycle enthusiast, a hardworking mechanic, and a devoted father to his young son. Sims had lived in the Muskegon area his entire life, growing up in the Lakeside neighborhood before moving to a home near Muskegon Lake approximately three years ago.
“Jay lived for two things: his bike and his boy,” said his best friend, Marcus Webb, who spoke to reporters outside Sims’s family home on Monday morning. “He was a mechanic at heart. He could fix anything with an engine. He built that motorcycle himself — piece by piece, bolt by bolt. It was his pride and joy. And now it’s what took him from us.”
Sims worked as a certified motorcycle technician at Muskegon Motor Sports on East Apple Avenue, just a few miles from where the crash occurred. His employer, owner Gary Hendricks, released a statement expressing profound grief.
“Jay was more than an employee; he was family. He worked here for seven years. He knew every bike that came through that door. Our customers loved him because he treated their bikes like they were his own. We are heartbroken. Our shop feels empty today.”
According to his family, Sims was also a father to a 5-year-old son, Jaylen, whom he shared with his former partner. Sims had custody of Jaylen on weekends and was reportedly planning to take his son to see the new Disney movie the day after the crash.
“Jaylen doesn’t fully understand yet,” said Sims’s mother, Deborah Sims, fighting back tears. “He keeps asking when Daddy is coming home. How do you explain to a 5-year-old that Daddy isn’t coming home? That he died on his motorcycle? I can’t. I just can’t.”
The Crash: A Fatal Intersection
The crash occurred at the intersection of South Mill Iron Road and Apple Avenue, a crossroads in Muskegon Township that connects residential neighborhoods to commercial corridors and industrial zones. South Mill Iron Road runs north-south, while Apple Avenue runs east-west. The intersection is controlled by a two-way stop sign on South Mill Iron Road, with Apple Avenue having the right-of-way.
According to Muskegon Township Police Chief Patrick VanDommelen, the preliminary investigation indicates that Sims was operating his motorcycle when it collided with a pickup truck. Chief VanDommelen did not specify which direction either vehicle was traveling, nor did he identify the driver of the pickup truck, who remained at the scene and has been cooperative with investigators.
“At this time, we are not releasing specific details regarding the dynamics of the crash as the investigation remains active and ongoing,” Chief VanDommelen said in a brief media statement. “What we can confirm is that a motorcycle and a pickup truck were involved. The motorcyclist, 27-year-old Jay Sims, was pronounced deceased at the scene. No other injuries were reported.”
Authorities have not yet released details regarding what may have caused the crash or whether speed, impairment, or other contributing factors played a role. Investigators are reportedly examining whether the motorcycle was speeding, whether the pickup truck failed to yield the right-of-way, and whether either driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The Scene and Emergency Response
The Muskegon Township Police Department received a 911 call reporting a serious crash between a motorcycle and a pickup truck at approximately 9:10 p.m. Sunday. Dispatchers sent officers, Muskegon Township Fire Department units, and ProMedica EMS to the scene.
When first responders arrived, they found a chaotic scene: the motorcycle was mangled and lying on its side approximately 50 feet from the point of impact, while the pickup truck had sustained significant front-end damage. Sims was found lying in the roadway, unresponsive and suffering from severe trauma.
Emergency medical personnel immediately began advanced life support measures, including airway management and hemorrhage control. Despite their efforts, Sims’s injuries were too severe. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a responding physician or medical examiner protocol officer.
The pickup truck driver and any passengers were evaluated at the scene and found to have no injuries. Authorities have not released the name, age, or gender of the pickup truck driver, though Chief VanDommelen confirmed that the individual has been cooperative and is not in custody.
The intersection of South Mill Iron Road and Apple Avenue remained closed for approximately four hours as investigators processed the scene. Officers used laser mapping equipment to create a detailed diagram of the crash, photographed skid marks and debris patterns, and collected evidence including vehicle components and personal belongings scattered across the roadway.
A Dangerous Intersection? Community Concerns
Residents living near the intersection of South Mill Iron Road and Apple Avenue have long expressed concerns about safety at the crossroads. While the intersection is not among Muskegon County’s most crash-prone locations according to Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) data, neighbors say that speeding and failure to yield are common problems.
“That intersection is a nightmare,” said longtime resident Carol Benson, 68, who lives three houses north of the intersection on South Mill Iron Road. “People fly down Apple Avenue like it’s a highway. And then you’ve got folks coming off Mill Iron who don’t stop at the stop sign. I’ve seen at least five crashes there in the past ten years. Now a young man is dead. When is the township going to do something?”
MDOT records indicate that there have been 12 reported crashes at the intersection of South Mill Iron Road and Apple Avenue between 2020 and 2025, with two involving serious injuries. The intersection does not have traffic signals; instead, it relies on stop signs on South Mill Iron Road and warning signs on Apple Avenue.
Local officials have previously discussed the possibility of installing a traffic light or a roundabout at the intersection, but funding and prioritization have delayed any action. In the wake of Sims’s death, some community members are renewing calls for safety improvements.
“We need to take a hard look at this intersection,” said Muskegon Township Supervisor Dave Silliman. “My heart goes out to the family of Jay Sims. No family should have to go through this. We will work with the police department and MDOT to determine whether changes are needed.”
Motorcycle Safety and Fatalities in Michigan
The death of Jay Sims adds to a concerning trend in Michigan, where motorcycle fatalities have fluctuated in recent years. According to the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), there were 149 motorcycle-related deaths in Michigan in 2025, a slight decrease from 158 in 2024 but still significantly higher than the 10-year low of 118 in 2019.
Muskegon County has historically seen an average of 3 to 5 motorcycle fatalities per year, a rate that is roughly proportional to the county’s population. Sunday’s crash marks the second motorcycle fatality in Muskegon County in 2026, following the death of a 34-year-old rider in Norton Shores in March.
Motorcycle safety advocates emphasize that the majority of motorcycle crashes are preventable and often involve factors such as speeding, alcohol impairment, lack of helmet use, and driver inattention. While Michigan law does not require all motorcyclists to wear helmets — only those under 21, those with a learner’s permit, or those who have been licensed for less than two years — advocates strongly recommend helmet use for all riders.
According to the OHSP, helmet use reduces the risk of death in a motorcycle crash by approximately 37 percent and reduces the risk of traumatic brain injury by nearly 70 percent. It remains unclear whether Jay Sims was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash; investigators have not released that information pending the completion of the accident reconstruction.
The Investigation: What Police Are Doing Now
The Muskegon Township Police Department is leading the investigation into the fatal crash. Chief Patrick VanDommelen has assigned the department’s accident reconstruction team to the case, which will involve analyzing physical evidence, vehicle computer data, and witness statements.
“We are conducting a thorough and methodical investigation,” Chief VanDommelen said. “We are looking at speed, impairment, distraction, road conditions, lighting, and vehicle mechanical condition. We will not speculate on cause until all evidence has been reviewed.”
Investigators are also seeking any surveillance footage from homes or businesses in the area that may have captured the crash or the moments leading up to it. Additionally, police are asking any witnesses who have not yet come forward to contact the department.
The pickup truck involved in the crash has been impounded for forensic inspection, including a download of its event data recorder (EDR) — often called a “black box” — which can provide information about the vehicle’s speed, braking, throttle position, and steering input in the seconds before a crash. The motorcycle may also be examined for mechanical defects that could have contributed to the collision.
Toxicology results for both Sims and the pickup truck driver are pending, as is standard in fatal crash investigations. Those results can take several weeks to process, as samples are typically sent to the Michigan State Police Forensic Science Division.
A Community Mourns
As news of Sims’s death spread across Muskegon on Sunday night and Monday morning, friends and family gathered at the crash site to leave flowers, candles, and handwritten notes at a makeshift memorial near the intersection. A white wooden cross with Sims’s name was placed in the grass on the southwest corner of South Mill Iron Road and Apple Avenue.
One note, written in black marker on a piece of cardboard, read: “Jay, you were the best mechanic and an even better friend. Keep riding high, brother. We love you.”
Another, clearly written by a child, said: “Daddy, I miss you. I will be brave for you.”
A GoFundMe account organized by Sims’s sister, Tiana Sims, has been established to cover funeral expenses and create a trust fund for young Jaylen. As of this publication, the fund had raised approximately $6,700 of its $20,000 goal.
“Jay was a protector,” Tiana Sims wrote on the GoFundMe page. “He protected his family. He protected his friends. And now we need to protect his son. Please help us give Jay the memorial he deserves and help us make sure Jaylen is taken care of. Any amount helps. Every prayer matters.”
Legal Implications: What Comes Next
If the investigation determines that the pickup truck driver was at fault — whether due to impairment, reckless driving, failure to yield, or distraction — criminal charges could be filed. Potential charges in Michigan include negligent operation of a motor vehicle causing death (a misdemeanor), reckless driving causing death (a high-court misdemeanor), or manslaughter (a felony). If impairment is involved, charges could include operating while intoxicated (OWI) causing death, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
If the investigation determines that Sims was at fault — for example, if he was speeding, ran a stop sign, or was impaired — no criminal charges would likely be filed against the pickup truck driver, though civil litigation could still follow.
Chief VanDommelen emphasized that no conclusions have been reached and that the investigation is in its early stages.
“We ask for patience from the public and from the family,” the chief said. “We know everyone wants answers. We want answers too. But we want the right answers — the true answers — not the fast ones. We will get there.”
Conclusion: A Life Cut Short
The death of Jay Sims has left a hole in the Muskegon community. He was a father, a son, a brother, a friend, and a craftsman who found joy in the roar of an engine and the open road. His life ended far too soon, on a dark stretch of road just miles from his home.
Funeral arrangements are pending through Divine Funeral Chapel in Muskegon. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the GoFundMe account for Jaylen’s education or to the Muskegon County Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a nonprofit that provides free safety courses to young riders.
As the sun set over South Mill Iron Road on Monday evening, a small group of motorcyclists — friends of Sims — rode slowly past the crash site, engines rumbling in a somber tribute. They stopped, parked their bikes, and stood in silence. Then, one by one, they revved their engines — a final salute to a rider gone too soon.
The Muskegon Township Police Department continues to investigate. Anyone with information is urged to contact the department at 231-777-1660 or to submit an anonymous tip through Silent Observer at 231-722-7463.
Jay Sims is survived by his son Jaylen, his mother Deborah Sims, his sister Tiana Sims, and a large extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
“He was a good man,” his mother said. “He wasn’t perfect — none of us are. But he was good. He loved his son. He loved his family. And he loved that motorcycle. I just wish… I wish he had come home.”
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