At approximately 1:50 p.m. on Labor Day, Sept. 4, 2023, eastbound traffic on I-96 was stopped because of an accident near Spencer Road in Brighton Township that happened at 1:15 p.m., and was being handled by the Michigan State Police.
Stopping for that earlier accident in the right travel lane was a 2021 GMC Sierra driven by a 42-year-old Westland man and pulling a camper trailer. His vehicle was rear-ended by a 2022 Honda Odyssey being driven by a 75-year-old Middleville woman, and that vehicle was then rear-ended by a 1998 Chevrolet Silverado being driven by a 37-year-old Toledo man.
All three drivers were wearing their seat belts, and all three were injured. The drivers of the GMC Sierra and the Chevrolet Silverado were evaluated on scene by Livingston County EMS and did not need transport to a medical facility; however, the driver of the Honda Odyssey sustained life-threatening injuries, and she was transported to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor in critical condition.
According to a release from the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, while speed and alcohol do not appear to be contributing factors in the crash, distracted driving does.
Eastbound I-96 remained closed for about four hours for the investigation and cleanup.
Deputies were assisted at the scene by personnel from Brighton Area Fire Department, Livingston County EMS, MDOT Courtesy Patrol, and Hamburg Police Department, and the accident remains under investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Safety Bureau.
