THOMPSON — Two men are dead following separate crashes in the U.P. Tuesday. Neither man was wearing a seatbelt.

Michigan State Police Troopers from the Manistique Outpost were called to the area of US-2 and Stanley Road in Thompson Township at approximately 10 a.m. Tuesday on a report of a two-vehicle traffic crash. An investigation revealed a vehicle driven by 25-year-old Chester Goudreau, of Manistique, failed to stop for traffic in a highly-marked construction zone.

Goudreau’s vehicle struck another vehicle, which had stopped, from behind. Goudreau was not wearing a seatbelt when he struck the other vehicle and sustained life-threatening injuries. He was transported to Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

The driver of the stopped vehicle was also injured and transported to Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Speed, distracted driving and drug use are suspected as factors in the incident.

Troopers were assisted by the Schoolcraft County Sheriff’s Department, Sault Tribale Police, Manistique Public Safety, Department of Natural Resources Officers, Schoolcraft County Road Commission, Cloverland Electric, and the Thompson Fire Department.

Earlier in the day, Troopers from the Michigan State Police Sault Ste. Marie Post were called to M123 near Charcoal Grade Road in McMillan Township at 7 a.m. on

reports of a one-vehicle crash involving a single occupant. The investigation revealed the vehicle, which was heading northbound on M123, lost control near Charcoal Grade Road, left the roadway and impacted a deep ditch.

The lone occupant of the vehicle was 20-year-old Jaden Caswell, of Luce County. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the Michigan State Police Sault Ste. Marie Post, Caswell does not appear to have been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident. Speed was also a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.

Troopers were assisted by Luce County EMS, Newberry Fire Department, the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Luce County Sheriffs Department.