Three people critically injured in 9-car crash on M-53
- May 26, 2017
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Washington Township firefighters assist at a 10-car accident on M-53 south of thirty two Mile Road Thursday morning.
- Photo by Doug Stilwell
Washington Township firefighters assist at a 10-car accident on M-53 south of thirty two Mile Road Thursday morning.
- Photo by Doug Stilwell
Washington Township firefighters assist at a 10-car accident on M-53 south of thirty two Mile Road this morning.
- Photo by Doug Stilwell
One of the bruised cars at a 10-car accident that occurred in Washington Township Thursday morning
- Photo by Doug Stilwell
Three people were in critical condition Thursday following a horrific 9-vehicle crash on M-53 during morning rush hour, according to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s Detective Lt. Dave Kennedy said the driver of a commercial tractor-trailer truck, a 54-year-old Detroit man, indicated he fell asleep before crashing into a vehicle stopped at a crimson traffic light at thirty two Mile Road in Washington Township.
The initial collision created a chain reaction that led to some cars having numerous impacts, Kennedy said. The truck drove into a wooded area along the roadway.
“The scene was very chaotic,” Kennedy said. “There were cars on their sides, cars crushed. The harm was pretty significant.”
Six people were hospitalized, three with non-life menacing injuries, he said. The truck driver was not among those injured.
The road was closed most of the day, until about Four:30 p.m. following a probe by the sheriff’s accident-reconstruction unit, he said.
The matter remains under investigation, with the results to be forwarded to prosecutors for a potential criminal charge, the lieutenant said.
He said there was no indication of drug or alcohol use by the truck driver but added the investigation is ongoing.
It does not emerge that the humid pavement due to rainfall played a major role in the incident, but he said that will be looked into, as well.
He said it is apparent the truck driver may not have applied the brakes, which would support the claim of falling asleep.
The incident was the most severe of several traffic crashes Thursday on slimy roads and freeways in Macomb County due to rain most of the day.
— Jameson Cook and Don Gardner, Digital Very first Media