Elk Township, MI – A 65-year-old man from Muskegon was killed Saturday evening after a mini-bike crash on a remote forest trail in Lake County, according to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were called to the scene around 6:25 p.m. on October 11, 2025, near U.S. Forest Service Road 8445 in Elk Township. Investigators say the man was traveling westbound on an unnamed trail when his mini bike struck a tree stump, ejecting him from the vehicle.
According to witnesses, the rider was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported that the crash remains under investigation. Agencies assisting included the Sauble-Elk-Eden Fire Department, Life EMS, U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement, and the Michigan Medical Examiner Group.
Authorities remind off-road riders to wear proper safety gear and remain alert when operating vehicles on wooded or unmarked trails.
