Crime & Safety
63 Drivers to be Cited in Massive Pileup on Snowy I-94: Watch
Michigan State Police said spectacular crash "is a vivid illustration of the dangers of traveling too fast on icy and snowy roads."
Remember that chaotic scene after a massive 193-vehicle pileup on I-94 in January that killed a truck driver, caused fireworks to ignite and closed the expressway during a cleanup effort that took two days?
About a third of motorists involved – to be exact, 63 – will receive citations, the Michigan State Police said Thursday, according to a report on WDIV-TV
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“This crash is a vivid illustration of the dangers of traveling too fast on icy and snowy roads,” First Lt. Dale Hinz, commander of the state police’s Paw Paw post, said in a statement. “As drivers, we are responsible for controlling our vehicles at all times, no matter the weather or roadway conditions.”
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Michigan law requires drivers to travel “at a careful and prudent speed” based on road conditions, and most of the drivers will be cited for violating that law. Three other drivers will be cited for driving without insurance, without an operator’s license and without a proper registration plate.
“Numerous drivers of both commercial and passenger vehicles were able to safely stop their vehicles without crashing,” Hinz said. “These drivers were observant and travelling at prudent speeds for the conditions.”
The chain reaction crashes started in the eastbound lane of the freeway about 9:20 a.m. on Jan. 9 during heavy snow.
Vehicles involved in the pileup included a tanker hauling 44,6000 of liquid formic acid, which crashed into a semi-truck carrying 40,000 pounds of fireworks that began igniting, creating a spectacular scene.
Distracted by the crashes, drivers in the westbound lanes lost control of their vehicles, with a total of 133 vehicles eventually involved, The Detroit News reports.
The entire crash scene spanned about 1,400 feet, 18 drivers from seven states and Canada were injured, and five emergency responders were treated for minor injuries, according to police.
Citations will be mailed, beginning Thursday, according to the release.
The video below was shot by a motorist who avoided the pileup.
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