Three other students were hospitalized after their vehicle left West R Avenue and struck a tree early Sunday.
TEXAS TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Two Mattawan High School students were killed and three others were hospitalized after a vehicle carrying five teenagers left a Kalamazoo County road and struck a tree early Sunday, authorities said.
The crash occurred about 3:20 a.m. Oct. 18 as the vehicle traveled west on West R Avenue near South 2nd Street in Texas Township, according to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said the vehicle went off the south side of the roadway before hitting a tree. Authorities had not publicly determined what caused the vehicle to leave the road.
A 15-year-old student and a 16-year-old student were pronounced dead at the scene. The three other Mattawan High School students were taken to hospitals with serious injuries. Officials initially described two survivors as being in critical but stable condition and another as being in very critical condition. Later family and local news reports said all three remained hospitalized.
Family members identified the 15-year-old who died as Jordyn Bigham. Jordyn’s 16-year-old sister, Jada Bigham, was among the students who survived the crash and remained hospitalized. Authorities had not publicly released the identity of the other student who died as of the latest reports reviewed Wednesday.
Some reporting based on family accounts described the 16-year-old who died as the driver, but authorities had not publicly released a complete account establishing who was driving. The sheriff’s office also had not announced a finding on speed, impairment, mechanical failure or any other possible factor in the crash.
The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office said its investigation remained active and expressed condolences to the families and friends of the students. The agency also said its thoughts were with the injured teenagers, their relatives and the students and staff of Mattawan High School. Michigan State Police, the Texas Township Fire Department and Life EMS assisted at the scene.
The crash brought an immediate response from the Mattawan school community. Classes resumed Monday, but district officials acknowledged the deaths and the continuing hospitalization of three students. Superintendent Randy Fleenor said the district’s thoughts remained with the students and families affected by the crash as the school community worked through the loss.
Residents also gathered Monday for vigils and other community events. Flowers, balloons and other memorial items were placed near the crash site on West R Avenue. At one gathering, residents stood together in silence to remember the students who died and show support for those still receiving medical treatment.
The collision has left investigators with several significant unanswered questions, including why the vehicle left the roadway and the events immediately preceding the crash. No official finding on the cause had been announced by Wednesday, and the sheriff’s office continued seeking information as the surviving students received care.
Author note: Last updated October 21, 2026.