DOWAGIAC, Mich. — The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal accident that happened May 11 on Wilbur Hill Road in Lagrange Township. Officials said a northbound vehicle struck a pedestrian in the roadway.
Authorities identified the pedestrian as Dalton Prentice, 30. Investigators determined that he was hit by a car driven by a 60-year-old male from Dowagiac.
Just after 4 a.m., the driver traveled north in a sedan when he struck Prentice in the 57000 block of Wilbur Hill Road. Emergency personnel pronounced Prentice dead at the scene.
The Dowagiac Police Department, Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance Services, and Pokagon Township Fire Department assisted at the scene.
Officials continue to investigate the accident.
Dalton Prentice tragically killed in Cass County pedestrian accident
May 13, 2025
Incident Location
PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
This tragic accident underscores the dangers that pedestrians face every day in this country.
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, pedestrian fatalities in the United States totaled an estimated 7,318 in 2023. This marked a decrease from the 7,737 fatalities reported in 2022. However, the number of pedestrian deaths was still 14 percent higher than the pre-pandemic level in 2019. Since 2010, pedestrian fatalities have risen by 77 percent, which is significantly higher compared to the 22 percent increase in all other traffic fatalities during the same period.
“Road conditions, visibility, and lighting are all possible contributing factors considered and examined,” said Candice Bond, a Managing Partner with Bond Legal.
“An accident reconstruction team is sometimes needed to help piece together what happened. All of these resources are necessary for helping clients receive monetary compensation for damages or a loss following a collision,” said Bond, an experienced pedestrian attorney.
WRONGFUL DEATH CLAIM
“It is almost always a driver’s duty to yield to any pedestrian,” said Bond. The family of Dalton Prentice may be entitled to a wrongful death claim.
“Family members of wrongful death victims may seek damages for loss of income and companionship, pain and suffering, funeral expenses, and emotional distress following a tragic or catastrophic accident,” she added.
Serving as an advocate, an attorney can help compassionately guide a family through this difficult time while protecting their rights.
“Insurance companies often try to pressure victims to settle for a quick payout for far less than the case is worth,” Bond noted. “However, an attorney will vigorously advocate for their client to ensure that they are treated with respect and compensated fairly.”
Accident Injury News' national legal analyst Candice Bond is experienced in fatal pedestrian accidents, and if you or a family member need help, she is available for a free consultation to guide you.
(Candice Bond, our national legal analyst, is a Managing Partner at Bond Legal. Accident Injury News can and does use quotes from prior interviews with our analysts for our news articles. If you would like to contact Bond Legal to help you, please call 866-986-7738 or use the submission box found on this page. Legal analysts quoted may or may not be licensed in your state).
