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St. Clair County Sheriff's Office investigating vandalism of roadside memorial

Posted at 11:00 PM, Dec 12, 2022
and last updated 2022-12-12 23:22:28-05

COTTRELLVILLE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A roadside memorial in Cottrellville that marked the location of a fatal car crash two years ago was vandalized and now, the St. Clair County Sheriff's Office wants answers.

The department posting to Facebook in search of tips.

The memorial is set at the intersection of Straville and Broadbridge roads in Cottreville and has been in place for nearly two years. Over the weekend, it was vandalized.

Two crosses were uprooted and a big cross was painted over. The big cross displayed four names of people who died in a crash at the intersection in August of 2020.

“Somebody just decided it was just better off black and just destroyed it,” said Patie Bonnick, whose son Mike Willis died in the crash. "For someone to go do what they did to it, it’s just, I can't even put into words.”

Willis and his friend Nick were driving in a 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe when, according to Michigan State Police, they ran a stop sign and collided with another car that was carrying a married couple. Both husband and wife died in the crash, leaving behind three kids.

Willis also left behind a son.

“I hope they turn themselves in because this is just unnecessary,” Bonnick said of the vandalism suspects.

If you have any information, contact detectives with the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office at 810-987-1711.