Local News
One victim killed in fiery crash on I-96 in Ingham County identified
The driver of the semi-truck also suffered serious burn injuries.
A tragic multi-vehicle accident on westbound I-96 in Ingham County late Saturday night left four people dead and 17 others injured.
The crash occurred around 11:42 p.m. near M-52 in the Webberville area, resulting in a devastating pile-up involving around 15 vehicles, many of which caught fire.
The accident happened shortly after Michigan State Police (MSP) had temporarily closed the highway to allow DTE Energy crews to work on power lines over the expressway. When authorities reopened the road, some vehicles remained stopped on the expressway.
As traffic was resuming, a semi-truck with a trailer, unable to see or stop in time, collided with the stationary vehicles.
The collision triggered a fiery chain reaction, with the semi-truck and numerous other vehicles igniting upon impact.
According to MSP, the victims who lost their lives included a 29-year-old man from Carson City who was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck. Also among the deceased were three individuals from Lansing: a 20-year-old woman, a 43-year-old woman, and 47-year-old Brandon Glasscoe.
Tragically, three of the four fatalities occurred in a single vehicle, while the driver of the pickup truck was ejected and killed upon impact.
Seventeen additional people sustained serious injuries and were transported to University of Michigan Health-Sparrow and McLaren Hospitals in Lansing.
The driver of the semi-truck also suffered serious burn injuries.
The intense fire resulting from the crash led to prolonged closures on I-96 and M-52 as crews from the Michigan Department of Transportation assessed the structural integrity of the overpass and cleared the extensive wreckage.
The area remained closed for nearly 24 hours while emergency responders and MDOT worked to make the scene safe for reopening.
Access to westbound I-96 near Webberville was finally restored on Monday morning, allowing traffic to resume after extensive clean-up efforts.
This incident is under ongoing investigation by the Michigan State Police, who continue to gather information to understand all contributing factors in this horrific accident.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. — Authorities have identified the woman killed in a fatal crash Monday morning that also left a child injured in Jefferson County.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, the victim has been identified as 32-year-old Erica Nicole Austin, a resident of Birmingham.
The collision occurred early Monday morning and involved a passenger vehicle and a dump truck, said Center Point Fire District Chief Brandon Dahlen.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene shortly after the crash was reported.
Upon arrival, first responders found Austin critically injured. Despite efforts to assist, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:46 a.m.
A child who was traveling with Austin sustained injuries in the collision and was transported by Center Point Fire and Rescue to Children’s of Alabama for treatment. The child’s condition has not been released.
The driver of the dump truck was not injured, officials confirmed.
The impact of the collision led to a complete closure of the roadway for approximately five hours as authorities worked to investigate the scene and clear the wreckage.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team is leading the investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the deadly crash.
No additional details have been released at this time.