Michigan truck accident kills 1 and injures 4

On Behalf of Holmes & Wiseley, P.C.

The Michigan State Police have reported that a tractor-trailer accident on the westbound lanes of Interstate 94 in Macomb County on the afternoon of March 6 claimed the life of a 55-year-old woman and left four other road users injured. The Detroit resident was killed when a large truck struck the rear of her Ford Taurus sedan. Emergency services workers pronounced her dead at the scene.

Police at the accident scene near the 10 Mile Road exit say that the truck driver may have failed to reduce his speed sufficiently when the traffic around him began to slow down at about 1:30 p.m. After striking the Ford Taurus, the tractor-trailer toppled onto its side and came to a rest on top of a Chrysler sedan and Chevrolet SUV. First responders say that they were surprised and pleased to discover that the 19-year-old woman behind the wheel of the Chrysler suffered only minor injuries. Photographs taken at the scene reveal that her car was crushed almost beyond recognition. The drivers of the tractor trailer and Cadillac also suffered minor injuries in the crash.

The police investigation into the big rig accident is ongoing, and a MSP representative said that filing criminal charges against the truck driver has not been ruled out. The crash caused Interstate 94 to be temporarily closed to traffic.

Facts such as these could lead experienced personal injury attorneys to determine that distraction or fatigue may have played a role. To gather evidence of negligence that could be used in truck accident lawsuits, attorneys may have commercial vehicles inspected to find out if their drivers took any evasive action before crashing. Attorneys could also scrutinize hours of service logs for fatigue-related violations and check wireless service provider records to find out if truck drivers were using their cellphones while behind the wheel.

Source: WXYZ, “Woman killed in semi truck crash on westbound I-94 in Macomb County”, Staff report, March 7, 2019

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