Sara Barnes Obituary, Death; A woman who lost her life in a collision involving multiple semi trucks last week on Interstate 96 has been identified as Sara Barnes, 48, from Portland.

Barnes perished in a chain-reaction accident that involved at least three semi trucks along I-96, close to Grand River Avenue in southern Clinton County, on September 17.

Traffic in the eastbound lanes was halted when a semi, operated by a 34-year-old man from Texas, rear-ended the vehicle she was driving, initiating a chain reaction that resulted in two additional semi tractor trailers being impacted, as stated by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office in a news release.

A 65-year-old man from Georgia, who was driving another semi, sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while a 34-year-old man from the Detroit area, who was operating a third semi, was unharmed, according to officials. It remains unclear if the driver of the semi that collided with Barnes’ vehicle sustained any injuries.

The sheriff’s department disclosed Barnes’ identity on Monday, September 22.

A funeral service for her is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 27, at Lehman Funeral Homes in Portland, as indicated in a published obituary. Visitation is set to commence at 10 a.m. that same day.

The obituary noted that Barnes was a 1995 graduate of St. Patrick High School and had a career with the State of Michigan. In her leisure time, she enjoyed scrapbooking and creating blankets, with family being the focal point of her life, as mentioned.

“Sara always greeted everyone she met with a warm, cheerful smile and a friendly ‘hello,’” the obituary stated. “She made a significant impact on the lives of all who knew her. Sara will be profoundly missed by all those fortunate enough to have known her.”
Clinton County Sheriff’s Lt. Dan Spitzley mentioned that reports will be forwarded to prosecutors once the investigation into the crash is completed.