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.
Local News
29-Year-Old Alex Rodriguez Found Dead on University of Illinois at UrbanaโChampaign, No Foul Play Suspected
URBANA, Ill. โ A 29-year-old Champaign man found dead on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Monday morning has been identified as Alex C. Rodriguez, according to the Champaign County Coronerโs Office.
The University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) responded to the area of Green and Wright streets at approximately 6:42 a.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive person near the Alma Mater statue.
Officers arrived and found Rodriguez on a concrete bench. Emergency medical assistance was requested at the scene.
The Champaign County Coronerโs Office responded, and Rodriguez was pronounced dead at approximately 7:16 a.m., according to Coroner Laurie Brauer.
Authorities said Rodriguez was not affiliated with the University of Illinois.
UIPD provided an update Monday afternoon, saying preliminary observations at the scene revealed no signs of foul play.
Police also said there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to the university campus or surrounding community based on the information available when officers responded.
Because investigators did not identify an active threat, the university did not issue an Illini-Alert emergency notification.
The circumstances surrounding Rodriguezโs death have not been determined.
An autopsy has been scheduled, and the death remains under investigation by the University of Illinois Police Department.
Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances leading to Rodriguezโs death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as investigators receive further information from the autopsy and other evidence.
No foul play has been indicated based on the preliminary investigation.