BLOOMINGDALE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Winds gusting to 55 miles per hour have swept across Michigan, snapping power lines, blacking out at least 176,000 homes and businesses and causing the death of a woman whose car was hit by a falling tree.
The accident happened about 2:50 p.m. Monday in Van Buren County's Bloomingdale Township, 40 miles south-southwest of Grand Rapids.
County Sheriff Dale Gruber identifies the victim as 69-year-old Marilyn Remington of Bloomingdale.
DTE Energy Co. spokesman Scott Simons says about 80,000 of its customers lost power in the winds, and about 10,000 remained off line at 7 p.m. CMS Energy Corp. spokesman Jeff Holyfield says about 23,000 out of 96,000 affected customers remained powerless about 8 p.m.
The National Weather Service reports 55 mph gusts in Allegan, Jackson and Kalamazoo counties.
