CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A man is dead, a child is recovering, and a local business owner is coming to terms with it all after a truck crashed into the Canton City Market on Sheldon Road on Wednesday morning.
The crash occurred at the Canton City Market on Sheldon Road, between Warren and Joy roads, on May 6. The driver, a 44-year-old man, was killed. A child who was a passenger in the truck was injured but survived. As of last check, the child was listed in stable condition.
The market’s owner says the timing of the crash is something he cannot stop thinking about.
Had the crash occurred just one hour and 45 minutes later, he says he would have been inside the building — likely standing behind the counter, which is exactly where the truck made impact.
Kevin Kelly, who owns a Farmers Insurance agency nearby, said he was stunned when he saw the damage firsthand.
“The site of the impact to the building, their counter is right on that wall, and I saw one of the owners that’s in there quite often, he shared with me he was not there at the time, so thank God for that,” Kelly said.
Canton police are still investigating the cause of the crash.
Drone footage provided an aerial view of the path the truck appeared to have taken. The driver appears to have been traveling northwest around a bend on Sheldon Road. Bark was peeled off two trees, and tire tracks were visible on the grass between them — indicating where the truck likely left the road.
Investigators were also asking about surveillance video from the store. The owner says the cameras were working, but had gone offline. He believes the force of the crash may have disrupted the feed.
Kelly described the crash as out of the ordinary for that stretch of road.
“It’s typically not a corner that we have a lot of accidents with, so definitely unusual, a tragic loss of life, loss of a parent or loved one,” Kelly said.
Community reacts
Canton police are not releasing further details at this time.
As for the market’s owner, he says the building can be repaired — but he is deeply troubled that someone lost their life at his business.