A chaotic three-car smash-up in Marquette sent a vehicle careening into the freezing waters of Lake Superior and left one driver hospitalized with injuries yesterday morning. The accident occurred near the Marquette Branch Prison on U.S. 41, as per reports from MLive, when a northbound gray Subaru SUV was struck from behind by a black Chrysler sedan.
The impact caused the Subaru to spiral off the road, plunging down an embankment before it was swallowed by the lake; the Chrysler driver, after stopping in the highway, got out to check on the other driver but then a blue Saturn sedan crashed into the Chrysler and thrusting it into its owner. Police, who were called to the scene at approximately 7:30 a.m., helped the Subaru driver back to shore and coordinated the recovery of the submerged vehicle, according to a statement obtained by UPmatters.
The driver of the Chrysler was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment; the drivers of the Subaru and Saturn sustained minor injuries but denied medical attention at the scene, as reported by Public Radio 90, WNMU. The crash, which left authorities untangling the events that led to one car's underwater detour, is still under investigation by the Marquette City Police Department.
Rescue operations were a combined effort, with support from UPHS-Marquette EMS, Marquette County Sheriff’s Office, Chocolay Township Police Department, the Michigan DNR Law Enforcement, and the Marquette Fire Department all working together to mitigate the aftermath of the incident and ensure the safety of everyone involved. The identities of the individuals caught up in the accident have not been disclosed by police as the inquiry into the collision’s cause marches forward.
