4 Hurt, Rescued From SUVs After Head-On 'Road Rage' Crash
CHESTERFIELD (WWJ) - Police believe "road rage" led to a head-on crash on Gratiot Ave. that sent four people to the hospital Friday.
All four injured parties trapped in two SUVs had to be extracted with Jaw of Life following the accident at around 2:40 p.m. at Terra Industrial, north of 21 Mile Road, in Chesterfield Township.
Based on a preliminary investigation and witness accounts, police believe an 18-year-old Macomb Township man was driving northbound on Gratiot in a 2000 Jeep when he appeared to get into a dispute with another motorist driving northbound on Gratiot in a Ford F-250. A witness told investigators that the man in the Jeep's driving was reckless as he appeared to be engaged in some type of "road rage" with the other driver.
During the altercation, the Jeep swerved into the southbound lanes of Gratiot and collided, head-on, with a southbound 1998 GMC driven by a 63-year-old Macomb Township man with his wife and son as passengers.
Josh Stroud, who lives nearby, said he heard the crash from about 50 yards away.
"All of a sudden I heard tires squeal, like it sounded like a car lost control," he told WWJ's Stephanie Davis. "Then there was a small popping sound as though a tire popped or ripped open or something. Then the actual collision hit and it was the loudest bang I ever heard — louder than fireworks or a gunshot or anything like that."
All parties involved in the accident were rushed to McLaren Macomb Hospital with the driver of the GMC sustaining the most serious of injuries, according to police. He was listed in critical condition Friday evening.
The driver of the F-250, described as being involved in the "road-rage", but not involved in the actual crash, was later identified at his home in Chesterfield Township, police said.
No names were immediately released.
There have been no charges as yet. An investigation is ongoing.
Northbound Gratiot at 21 Mile and southbound Gratiot at 22 Mile were closed following the crash, but have since reopened.
Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is urged to call the Chesterfield Police Department at 586-949-2322.