Man killed in Walker crash ID'd; driver who fled in custody

WALKER, Mich. (WOOD) — Authorities are identifying the motorcyclist killed in a crash in Walker, as well as the driver allegedly responsible for the crash who fled from the hospital.

Walker police say 36-year-old Joseph Hileski bolted from Mercy Health Saint Mary’s Hospital in Grand Rapids after staff wired shut his jaw following the deadly crash.

Hileski has since been taken into custody and is in the Kent County jail on a charge of resisting or obstructing police for the hospital incident, according to Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker. Becker said his office is waiting on Hileski’s blood test results before considering any charges for Tuesday night’s deadly crash.

Police said Hileski ran a red light, causing the crash at Wilson Avenue and Leonard Street NW. Investigators Thursday identified the motorcyclist killed in the crash as 35-year-old Jacob Craft from Walker.

Police said at the time of the crash, the road was closed for construction, except to people who live in the affected area.

The deadly crash was the second serious crash at the intersection within 12 hours. Tuesday morning, a mother and her two children were injured, one of the children critically, when their pickup truck collided with a semi-truck. The collision split the pickup in two.

A crew from the Michigan Department of Transportation was at the intersection Tuesday night, working to determine if anything could be done to improve its safety.

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