1 Dead, 2 Injured In Rochester Hills Crash On M-59: Police

ROCHESTER HILLS, MI — A Shelby Township man was killed and two officers were injured in a Saturday night Rochester Hills crash, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

Nicholas Leach, 29, was driving a 2004 Ford F150 truck eastbound on Michigan 59 near Rochester Road at 11:59 p.m. when he slammed into a police car that was blocking the road's left lane and shoulder, officials said.

The truck came to a rest on the side of the road with Leach trapped inside, officials said.

Firefighters extracted Leach from the truck and took him to a nearby hospital where he died, officials said.

The two officers that were injured in the crash were taken to a nearby hospital: One suffered serious injuries and was listed in stable condition and the other was treated for minor injures and released, officials said.

Officers blocked the left lane and shoulder on Michigan 59 near Rochester Road Saturday night after a vehicle caught fire earlier, officials said.

Officers were sitting in their fully-marked cruisers with their emergency lights on to allow a tow truck to pull the fire damaged vehicle away, officials said.

That's when Leach, who was driving the truck, did not slow down or move over in time before slamming into the back of a police cruiser that was blocking the left lane, officials said.

The impact from the crash caused the police cruiser to spin and hit the second patrol vehicle that was blocking the shoulder, officials said.

"While the crash investigation is ongoing, the one thing is that is clear is how dangerous it is for emergency vehicles and wreckers on the side of the road," Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "It is a tragic reminder to the public to stay capable of driving, focused and move over a lane, away from any emergency vehicles on the side of the road as required by law."

Police do not know if alcohol played a factor in the crash. Officials were still investigating the crash.