Photo from Peter Ross - Fremont
FREMONT, Mich. (WZZM) - Storms that tore through West Michigan overnight are responsible for a tree that fell on a home in Newaygo County, killing a couple in bed.
It happened on Sherman Avenue near 40th Street in Fremont.
A large tree fell and clipped the corner of the cottage where the couple's bedroom was.
A neighbor, Vicki Antonini, saw the damage and called authorities around 7:30 Tuesday morning. She told WZZM 13 a neighbor told her they thought the home had been occupied overnight. After knocking and getting no answer, Antonini went in. "I couldn't tell what I was seeing - and it took me a second before I realized before there was someone in there" she told WZZM 13's Peter Ross
The Newaygo County Sheriff's Office says the victims are 65-year-old William Vandekieft and his 64-year-old wife, Nancy. They were pronounced dead at the scene. Neighbors say the Vandekiefts were from Jackson, Michigan, and had owned the lakefront cottage for the last five years.
Jess DeYoung, a neighbor, said:"He was retired about five years about, yeah they were just good neighbors excellent people.... it's tough."
The National Weather Service says there were wind gusts of at least 40 mph from the storms.