Police: 63 Drivers Cited After Massive Pileup Along I-94
GALESBURG, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - Police say 63 drivers are being cited following January's massive pileup on snowy Interstate 94 in southwestern Michigan that killed a trucker and closed a stretch of roadway for two days.
Michigan State Police on Thursday announced the update after completing the investigation into the Jan. 9 chain-reaction crashes, which involved 193 vehicles on both sides of the freeway east of Galesburg.
Lieutenent Dale Hinz, commander of the Michigan State Police Paw Paw post, and said it was the biggest, most complicated crash he'd ever seen — with fireworks exploding on a truck and formic acid leaking from a tanker.
"The main factor causing this crash was drivers simply driving too fast for the roadway conditions," Hinz told WWJ Newsradio 950's Beth Fisher.
"Obviously, we had snowy conditions — the roadway conditions were icy on January 9th — and that led to the crash when drivers were driving too fast for those existing conditions," he said. "They were unable to stop and the chain-reaction crash occurred."
Michigan requires drivers to go at a "careful and prudent speed" and "be in control of their vehicle at all times" based on the conditions. Most are being cited for violating that law, receiving a $135 fine and two points.
A total of 18 people from seven states and Canada were injured. Five emergency workers were also treated for minor injuries sustained while responding.
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