Coca-Cola delivery driver’s death in 17-vehicle pileup leaves family heartbroken

ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) - The family of a Coca-Cola delivery driver says a huge piece of their lives is now missing after his death in a 17-vehicle pileup during a snowstorm.

Dave Hole, 71, was driving a tractor-trailer for Coca-Cola, a job he held for 22 years, when he was involved in a 17-vehicle pileup last Monday. The crash happened during a snowstorm on Interstate 94 in southwest Michigan, about 35 miles west of Kalamazoo.

Hole was seriously injured in the crash and died the next day at a Grand Rapids hospital, WANF reports.

“I can’t believe he’s not walking through the door... Almost every bone in his body was broken from the waist up,” said Arlene Jansen-Hole, his wife of 41 years. “He was just a great man. He was the love of my life.”

The Michigan State Police’s Fifth District said in a statement sent to WANF that Hole’s truck was rear-ended by another vehicle during the pileup. The 71-year-old was trapped inside and had to be extricated. He was the only fatality from the crash.

“This is not something you ever expect to happen to your family, and he would have wanted all of those other people to be uninjured and go home to their families,” said Lindsey Sikorski Bennett, his granddaughter.

Hole’s family described him as caring, a provider and someone who would help anyone. Before driving for Coca-Cola, he served in the military.

“He was our father figure in the house. He helped raise me,” Sikorski Bennett said. “He loved his job, and my grandma was always like, ‘When are you going to retire?’ He just loved to drive the car. He was like, ‘I don’t need to. I just love driving.‘”

Sikorski Bennett says her grandfather attended her wedding in November, and she never would have thought in a million years that would be the last time she would see him.

“Cherish every moment. You never know when it’s going to be your last,” she said.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Hole’s wife with unexpected costs following the loss.

Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, the facility Hole worked for in Illinois, sent WANF the following statement:

We are deeply saddened to confirm that one of our drivers lost his life as the result of a tragic traffic accident that occurred on December 2nd. We continue to give the situation our full attention and are cooperating with local authorities as they complete their investigation. Our hearts are with the family during this difficult time.