17-vehicle pileup in snow on I-94 in Southwest Michigan leaves 1 driver critically injured
HARTFORD, Mich. (CBS) -- A 17-vehicle pileup on Interstate 94 in Southwest Michigan left one person critically injured Monday.
Michigan State Police said the wreck happened at on I-94 in Van Buren County, Michigan, between Hartford and Watervliet. This area is about 15 miles southeast of South Haven and 35 miles west of Kalamazoo.
A total of 14 cars or other passenger vehicles and three semi-trailer trucks were involved, Michigan State Police said.
In addition, 15 other cars slid off the road near the crash scene.
Heavy snow was coming down in Southwest Michigan Monday afternoon, making for treacherous travel conditions.
State police said one driver suffered critical injuries, but did not specify if there were any other injuries.
I-94 was shut down in both directions near the scene.
Michigan State Police warned motorists not to drive too fast for conditions in heavy snow, which can produce whiteout conditions.
The timeline for reopening was not known Monday afternoon.
A winter storm warning is in effect for Ottawa, Allegan, and Van Buren counties in Michigan until 7 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday, and for Berrien and Cass counties in Michigan and St. Joseph County in Indiana until 10 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday.
Up to 10 inches of snow could fall in some of these areas, with locally higher accumulations of over a foot in certain spots, according to the National Weather Service.