Two drivers are hospitalized and lucky to be alive after their vehicles collided nearly-head on Wednesday evening in Cass County.

The accident happened just before 5:00 p.m. at the intersection of M-60 and Dailey Road, east of Niles. One driver, 27-year-old Amanda O'Connor, tried to cross M-60 on Dailey, but failed to yield to oncoming traffic at a two-way stop.

O'Connor was conscious at the scene and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. The other driver, 32-year-old Christine Guilfoyle was traveling eastbound on M-60 and was transported by MedCare helicopter with more serious injuries.

Witnesses were thankful everyone made it out alive.

Karla Dennis says, “It was so much of a surprise because there was no squeal, there's no tire marks that we knew of, it was just instantaneous smoke, and we really didn't think that one of them would still be alive, or both. And so I'm very thankful at least when they released them from the scene, they both were. It's just really a miracle.”

Witnesses were able to help the southbound victim out of her smoking car. Guilfoyle's extrication took about 90 minutes. M-60 was closed in both directions during that time, but it is reopened at this hour.

Investigators say both O'Connor and Guilfoyle were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.