Crash kills lawmaker who fought helmet law

A Republican state lawmaker who had pushed to repeal a helmet law was killed Monday when a truck pulled out in front of his motorcycle, the Michigan State Police said Tuesday.

Rep. Peter Pettalia, R-Presque Isle, was wearing a helmet at the time of the 5:30 p.m. crash, the MSP said.

The lawmaker was southbound on M-33 in Montmorency County when “a pickup truck driven by a 59-year-old woman from Fairview turned left, directly into his lane of traffic,” the MSP said in a news release. “His motorcycle struck the pickup truck broadside.” Pettalia was on his way to Lansing for Tuesday’s session of the House of Representatives.

The House convened Tuesday, but officials said it would not be voting on pending bills out of respect for Pettalia’s sudden passing.

Tributes poured in for the 61-year-old lawmaker who chaired the House Transportation Committee and was completing his third and final two-year term in the state House.

Rep. Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt, said on Facebook that Pettalia was “a great legislator