Overnight traffic on I-94 in Romulus turned violent today when a suspected drunk driver smashed into a fully marked Michigan State Police cruiser, injuring the trooper inside and touching off a multi-vehicle mess in the middle of the freeway.
Police said the trooper was sitting in her patrol car on westbound I-94 near Merriman, with emergency lights on, when the driver of a Lincoln lost control, spun out and hit two other vehicles before coming to rest in the center lanes. Romulus fire crews pulled the trooper from the cruiser and took her to a local hospital, where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. No other injuries were reported. The crash remains under investigation.
According to ClickOnDetroit, the wreck happened just after 1 a.m. while the trooper was on scene investigating an earlier incident. The suspected drunk driver struck the passenger-side door of the cruiser, the outlet reports, trapping the trooper inside until Romulus firefighters could extricate her. ClickOnDetroit notes that the patrol car’s emergency lights and spotlights were activated at the time.
FOX 2 Detroit reports the driver was a 32-year-old operating a 2013 Lincoln MKZ who showed signs of intoxication at the scene. The outlet says the Lincoln spun out after the driver lost control, striking two other vehicles before finally stopping in the middle of the freeway. FOX 2 adds the driver was taken to a local hospital for a blood draw, then lodged in custody.
As CBS Detroit relayed, MSP First Lt. Mike Shaw called the crash “preventable” and said officials were “extremely lucky that there were only minor injuries.” He used the close call as yet another reminder that drivers need to slow down, move over for emergency scenes and, ideally, not barrel down the freeway after drinking.
Move Over law and responder safety
Michigan’s Move Over law requires drivers to do exactly what its name says: move over and slow down when approaching stationary authorized vehicles with flashing lights. The Michigan State Police explains that motorists must drop their speed to at least 10 miles per hour below the posted limit and, when possible, change lanes away from the stopped vehicles.
Violating the Move Over law is a civil infraction that carries two points on a driver’s license and a $400 fine. If a driver hits and injures or kills an emergency responder while violating the law, enhanced criminal penalties can apply, according to guidance from Michigan.gov.
Investigation and next steps
Police say the crash investigation is still active and that no formal charges have been announced yet, according to ClickOnDetroit. The outlet reports the 32-year-old driver was taken for a blood draw and lodged in custody. This story will be updated when court filings or an official MSP statement lay out the next steps.
