Man Charged In Death Of A Michigan Fire Chief Along I-94

COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - A 24-year-old man has been charged with reckless driving in the death of a fire chief who was struck and killed in June while responding to a crash in southwestern Michigan.

WOOD-TV reports that Brandon Clevenger of Springfield was charged Tuesday with reckless driving causing death.

The car then crossed lanes on Interstate 94 and struck Ed Switalski.

The Kalamazoo County sheriff's department says its officers and the Comstock Township fire department were preparing to leave the crash scene, the night of June 15, when the passing vehicle lost control and struck Comstock Township Chief Edward Switalski.

"He was standing at the back of his command vehicle restoring some of his equipment back into service when for an unknown reason another motorist drove into the scene and struck the back of his car," Oshtemo Fire Chief Mark Barnes told WWJ's Beth Fisher.

The sheriff's office said Clevenge was traveling at nearly 90 mph and was distracted by his phone just seconds before hitting a cement median wall.

Switalski was pronounced dead at the scene. Clevenge, was taken to a hospital with injuries.

Switalski served as chief of Comstock Township Fire and Rescue for four years. The 55-year-old Switalski worked at the Kalamazoo-area department after more than three decades at the Pleasantview Fire District in suburban Chicago.

Clevenger had not appeared in court as of Wednesda morning. It wasn't immediately known if he has an attorney.

© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.