Grand Rapids, MI — January 17, 2026, a man was killed due to a pedestrian versus snow plow accident soon before 5:00 a.m. along 28th St. Southeast.

According to authorities, a man was on foot in the vicinity of the 28th Street SE and Breton Road SE intersection when then accident took place.

Details surrounding the accident remain scarce. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the man was struck by a snow plow that is apparently commercially owned.

The man—who had reportedly sustained fatal injuries due to the collision—was declared deceased at the scene.

Additional information pertaining to this incident—including the identity of the victim—is not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a pedestrian is struck and killed by a commercial snow plow, especially in the early morning hours, the central question becomes: Was the driver operating with appropriate awareness and control, given the conditions and environment? Snow plows play a vital role during winter weather, but they are also large, difficult to maneuver, and often operate in low-visibility settings—all factors that increase the risk of collisions, particularly with pedestrians.

At this point, we don’t know where the pedestrian was walking, whether he was in the roadway or near a curb, or if the driver ever saw him. But a snow plow operating near an intersection—even before dawn—has a duty to account for the possibility of people on foot, especially in a commercial or mixed-use area.

Several investigative priorities stand out:

• Blind spots and line of sight around the plow, especially near the front and along the passenger side;
• Lighting and warning signals, including whether the plow was using its hazard lights, strobe beacons, or audible alerts;
• Vehicle speed and maneuvering behavior, which are critical in slippery conditions where stopping distance is limited;
• Driver conduct and route assignment, including whether the driver was actively plowing, repositioning, or transitioning between jobs;
• Environmental conditions, such as snow accumulation on sidewalks or curbs that may have forced the pedestrian closer to the road.

In cases I’ve handled involving snow plows, we’ve seen both sides of the issue—drivers who assumed no one would be out walking that early and pedestrians who entered the roadway unpredictably. But commercial drivers are trained to anticipate those possibilities. If the driver failed to scan the area, used unsafe speed, or operated without proper warning equipment, those failures matter.

That said, it’s also important to determine whether the pedestrian was visible or behaving in a way that made avoidance impossible. The law doesn’t expect perfection, but it does require commercial drivers to act with heightened caution—particularly when the equipment they’re operating carries this level of risk.

Key Takeaways:

• It’s unclear where the pedestrian was at the time of the collision or whether the snow plow driver had a chance to react.
• Visibility, speed, and use of warning equipment will be central to determining fault.
• Snow plows have significant blind spots and require heightened caution when operating in pedestrian-accessible areas.
• The time of day and road conditions may complicate visibility but don’t eliminate a driver’s duty to operate safely.
• A full investigation will determine whether this death resulted from preventable driver error, environmental factors, or both.