Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Speed and/or distracted driving are believed to be contributing factors in a multi-vehicle crash involving serious injuries on westbound I-96 in the Howell area on Wednesday afternoon.

At approximately 1:48pm, Deputies with the Livingston County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a multi-vehicle crash in the construction zone on westbound I-96, west of D-19.

The preliminary investigation indicates that a 58-year-old Wisconsin man was traveling west on I-96 in a semi-tractor and trailer that failed to stop for stopped traffic. The semi rear-ended a Chevy Equinox and then a Ford Explorer.
The driver of the Chevy was a 22-year-old female from Hemlock and the Ford driver was a 58-year-old Lansing man.

The Office says after the initial collision, the semi continued westbound, rear ending another semi-tractor and trailer from Canada that was forced into the rear of another Ford Explorer and a GMC Acadia.

The 22-year-old driver of the Chevy was transported to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing by Livingston County EMS with life-threatening injuries.

The Wisconsin driver was transported to the U of M Hospital in Ann Arbor by Life Flight with serious injuries.

Two other individuals involved in the crash were transported to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing by Livingston County EMS with minor injuries.

The Office says speed and/or distracted driving appear to be contributing factors in the crash.

The roadway remained closed for six hours for the investigation and extensive clean-up.

Deputies were assisted at the scene by personnel from Howell Area Fire Department, Michigan State Police, Michigan State Motor Carriers, and Livingston County EMS.

The incident remains under investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff's Office Traffic Safety Bureau.