Fords Man In Car Crash Died of Natural Causes

Russel Banasiak, the Fords man who crashed his car for an unknown reason on Sunday, died of natural causes related to heart disease, according to an autopsy report.

A statement by the Howell Township police said the 43-year-old man was driving north on Ft. Plains Road around midnight after leaving his girlfriend's house in Jackson. While between Sunnyside Road and West Farms Road, Basaniak crossed into the southbound lane, and hit a fence and a tree.

Police say Banasiak was unconscious following the crash, and officers Daniel Murphy and Heather Scherbinski attempted to resuscitate him after responding to 911 calls from passersby. Banasiak was later transferred to Monmouth Medical Center South Campus, where he was pronounced dead.