Toyota senior program manager killed during charity bike ride in Mich.

A Toyota senior program manager and another metro Detroit businessman were killed Saturday when their group of charity bicyclists was struck by a driver suspected to be impaired in rural Michigan.

The Ionia County Sheriff's Office on Monday identified the men as Edward Erickson, a Toyota Motor Corp. senior program manager from Ann Arbor, Mich., and Michael Salhaney, a partner at Secrest Wardle law firm from Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

The men were part of a group of five cyclists who were participating in the Make-A-Wish Foundation's Wish-A-Mile three-day endurance ride when they were struck by Mandy Marie Benn in Ronald Township, the sheriff's office said. Besides the two fatalities, the other three riders were injured.

Two of the men were released from the hospital after the crash. The third, Roland Pascua, vice president of human resources for metro Detroit recruiting firm Arrow Strategies, was listed in critical condition, according to Facebook posts.

Benn was charged Monday with two counts of operating while intoxicated causing death, a 15-year felony; one count of operating while intoxicated, a misdemeanor punishable by 93 days in jail; and a second offense notice for operating while intoxicated, a one-year misdemeanor, according to the sheriff's office.

Benn was arraigned in 64-A District Court in Ionia and was being held on a $1 million bond/cash surety at Ionia County Jail.

Prosecutor Kyle Butler said Benn was trying to pass a UPS truck on a rural road Saturday when she crossed the center line and hit the bicyclists.

She had no alcohol in her system but had slurred speech and couldn't follow instructions, Butler said.

There's evidence that she used prescription drugs, he said.

Erickson, 48, was a 23-year veteran of Toyota, specializing in cost planning and vehicle specification optimization, according to his LinkedIn profile. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1998 from Eastern Michigan University and had taken part in the annual charity ride since 2014.

Toyota Motor North America confirmed Erickson's death.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to Ed's family and loved ones. He was a family man first, caring for his wife and kids, in addition to being with Toyota for 23 years, most recently an integral part of our truck team. Ed was an avid cyclist and a big supporter of Make-A-Wish, and this event brought together his two passions," a spokesperson said.

"At Toyota, Ed had been a champion for cycling safety and regularly educated our team members on the rules of the road for vehicle interaction. He was an enormously positive person with a big personality that will sorely be missed."

Salhaney, 57, had been a supporter of Make-A-Wish since 1998 and rode in honor of a child with cancer. He got his suburban Detroit law firm to be a corporate sponsor of the tour. Before joining Secrest Wardle, he was a partner at Beier Howlett for 15 years. He also had been an assistant prosecuting attorney for Oakand County, Mich., for nearly a decade, according to his LinkedIn page.

Secrest Wardle did not immediately return a request for comment.

The group of bicyclists was riding 300 miles through rural Michigan to raise money to help Make-A-Wish grant wishes for children with critical illnesses. Together with 21 other members on their team, they raised nearly $42,000.

"Our staff and the entire Make-A-Wish family are heartbroken and offer our deepest sympathy for the riders involved, their loved ones" and others who participated in the event, the Make-A-Wish Foundation said in a statement.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.