News Photo by Julie Riddle A tow truck operator hauls a cable down to a vehicle driven off the road after a sudden stop caused a near-collision on King Settlement Road today.

ALPENA — Following too closely resulted in a close call on M-32 when a vehicle traveling west stopped abruptly to make a turn onto King Settlement Road, sending two vehicles behind it off the road.

A truck veered onto the shoulder and was able to pull back onto the road and continue driving, while a second vehicle plunged down a hill and into a stand of small trees. The driver was transported to the hospital with chest pains. The vehicle escaped major injury.

A Michigan Department of Natural Resources officer from Alcona County, who happened to be passing the scene while transporting a dead hawk, called the incident in to 911 and took a report from a motorist who had witnessed the crash. Wilson Township firefighters also responded to the scene.