Fatal crash at Blackstone

A fatal Livingston County crash at the intersection of Routes 170 and 17 in Blackstone Thursday took the life of a rural Seneca man.

The Livingston County Coroner’s Office reports John M. Melton, 54, was driving a Dodge Neon south on Route 170 and had stopped at the stop sign, according to witnesses, but pulled into the intersection as a pickup truck was traveling west on Route 17.

“The driver of the pickup truck was unable to avoid the collision and struck Melton’s vehicle on the driver’s side causing the car to enter the southwest ditch,” said a news release issued by the coroner. “Melton’s car sustained heavy damage to the driver’s side and the truck had front-end damage.”

Melton was pronounced dead at the scene by Livingston County Coroner Mike Renner at 11:12 a.m. Thursday. The State Police Accident Reconstruction unit is investigating the crash.

Austin D. Browning, 21, of Birmingham, Alabama was the driver of the truck involved.

While no citations have been issued, an autopsy determined Melton died from blunt force injuries to the head, neck and chest due to a motor vehicle crash.

Livingston County Sheriff’s Police were on the scene to assist along with Dwight EMS and Allen Township Fire.