Late at night on I-69, a Shiawassee County sheriff's deputy was involved in an incident while on duty. While waiting for tow support for a vehicle that was immobilized without a tire, the deputy’s patrol car was struck by an out-of-control semi-truck. According to ABC12, the deputy was able to jump across the median cable barrier to safety as the semi jackknifed and collided with the parked cruiser.
The incident occurred on the westbound side of the interstate, just east of the Morrice interchange. The sheriff's vehicle, with its emergency lights flashing, was blocking a lane to alert drivers about the vehicle ahead with a missing tire. The semi-truck driver, possibly driving too fast for the road conditions, did not follow Michigan's Move Over law, which requires drivers to slow down and change lanes when approaching stationary emergency vehicles. This led to the crash.
The deputy, who was outside the vehicle at the time of the crash, made a quick decision to avoid potential harm. "Thankfully, our Deputy (who was standing outside his cruiser at the time) lunged to safety over the cable barrier, walking away uninjured," the Shiawassee County Sheriff's Office shared in a Facebook post. This social media update eloquently illustrates the perils law enforcement officials can face, even during routine operations, and the importance of adhering to traffic laws, especially around emergency personnel.
The individuals involved in the incident are now handling the aftermath. While it is not yet clear if the truck driver has received any citations or will face charges, the Sheriff's Office has issued a reminder to the public: "Please slow down and move over!"
