A devastating crash on Interstate 96 in southeast Michigan left four people dead and 17 injured after a semi-truck plowed into vehicles stopped for utility work late Saturday night, state police reported.
The fatal collision occurred around 11:45 p.m. near Webberville, where traffic had been temporarily halted to allow utility crews to work on power lines. According to Michigan State Police, the semi-truck driver “did not see the backup and could not stop his vehicle in time” before crashing into the stopped vehicles.
The violent impact ignited a fire that engulfed the semi-truck and several other vehicles, with more than a dozen vehicles involved in the crash. Among the four confirmed fatalities were a 29-year-old Carson City man driving a Ford pickup and three Lansing relatives traveling in a Chevrolet Trax – a 20-year-old woman, a 43-year-old woman, and a 47-year-old man.
Seventeen people, including the semi-truck driver, were transported to nearby hospitals with injuries. The severity of their conditions was not immediately disclosed.
“This is a tragic incident that will affect many families and our entire community,” said a Michigan State Police spokesperson. “Our investigation will be thorough to understand exactly how this happened and prevent similar accidents in the future.”
As of Sunday, authorities continued their cleanup efforts at the crash site, with I-96 remaining closed indefinitely in the affected area. The closure has forced local traffic to seek alternate routes, causing additional congestion on nearby roads.
The incident represents one of the deadliest traffic accidents in the region this year and highlights ongoing concerns about commercial vehicle safety and nighttime construction zone protocols. State police are conducting a full investigation into the circumstances that led to the crash.
State transportation officials advised motorists to avoid the area and seek alternative routes until further notice. Updates on the highway’s reopening will be provided through the Michigan Department of Transportation’s traffic alert system.
