Icy conditions on U.S. 10 eas of Reed City caused an accident Tuesday that claimed the life of a 21 year old woman, according to a report from state police at the Reed City post.
Karen Pontz of Reed City died at Blodgett Hospital in Grand Rapids of injuries sustained in a collision between the car she was riding in and two others in Hersey Township at 2:55pm.
She was a passenger in an eastbound auto driven by Karen Smaltz of Reed City that went out of control on the icy roadway and slid into a westbound truck driven by Olin Moore of Evart. The Smaltz vehicle was then struck by another westbound vehicle driven by William Armstead of Falmouth. The Smaltz woman was admitted to Reed City Hospital with a fractured pelvis and a passenger in the Armstead vehicle, Shirley Armstead, was treated there for possible chest injuries.
Mrs. Pontz was born Jun 4, 1954, in Muskegon and was a 1972 graduate of Reed City High school.
On Jul 14, 1973, she married Darrel Pontz, who survives. She also leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Baker of Reed City; a brother, William, and two sisters, Janet and Linda, all of Reed City; and her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Deremo of Grand Haven and Mrs. W.K. Skoog of Ludington.
She was employed at Evart Products at Evart and was a member of the Congregational Church in Reed City.
Funeral services will be at 2 pm Friday from Rogers Livingston Funeral Home at Reed City. Rev. Steven Wardwell will officiate, with interment in Woodland Cemetery at Reed City.
Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 this evening and until the time of services Friday.