A man attempting to change a flat tire on the Southfield Freeway was seriously injured after being hit by a passing vehicle. The incident occurred last night near Schoolcraft Road, and upon arrival, Michigan State Police found the man with substantial injuries, as reported by CBS News Detroit.
The man's vehicle, a Dodge Caliber, was stopped on the right shoulder, and his wife was seated in the passenger seat at the time of the accident. A 52-year-old Plymouth man, driving a Chevrolet Impala, struck the motorist, who was taken to a local hospital by the Detroit Fire Department's EMS crew. According to ClickOnDetroit, the man was alert and breathing but sustained serious injuries. Officers arrested the Chevy driver after he showed signs of impairment, and following his custody, he was taken to a hospital for a blood draw, which could provide further evidence regarding the nature of his impairment in the ongoing investigation.
Michigan State Police underscored the dangers of trying to change a tire on a freeway and advised against driving under the influence. "Two things can be taken from this crash," Michigan State Police F/Lt. Mike Shaw stated. "First, do not drive impaired. There are too many options available. End of story," and "Second, if you do get a flat tire on the freeway, call 911." He also recommended using safety vans for changing tires on the freeway or exiting and making the change off the freeway for safety reasons—insights shared with The Detroit News.
This crash adds to a growing list of incidents involving vehicles and pedestrians in Michigan, with state police statistics indicating 2,114 crashes between vehicles and pedestrians in 2023, 179 of which were fatal. As mentioned by The Detroit News, Wayne County specifically had the most pedestrian-involved crashes and fatalities in the state. According to these statistics, Wayne County recorded 686 such crashes, with 60 being fatal during the same timeframe.
