A late-night wrong-way drive on Telegraph Road turned deadly in Redford Township, ending in an eight-vehicle chain-reaction crash near Five Mile that killed the driver headed against traffic and left others shaken but largely spared from serious harm.
Witnesses and investigators said the motorist was traveling north in the southbound lanes and hit multiple vehicles before smashing head-on into another car at a traffic light. Emergency crews rushed to the scene around 11 p.m. The wrong-way driver was taken to a nearby hospital and later pronounced dead. Others involved were reported as either uninjured or suffering only minor injuries.
What Investigators Say
Investigators told WXYZ that the wrong-way vehicle, described as a burgundy Durango, first clipped two cars just north of Five Mile, then kept going at a high rate of speed before the head-on collision at the stoplight. That impact triggered a chain reaction that ultimately involved eight vehicles, authorities said.
As of today, officials were still on scene sorting out the tangle of metal and debris and working to reconstruct the exact sequence of hits in the multi-car pileup.
Witnesses at the Scene
Employees at a nearby McDonald’s and the owner of a bar told WXYZ they heard what one person described as boom, boom, boom as the crashes unfolded. One business owner said a customer called shortly after leaving to say, “I just got hit,” and that the driver was later taken to the hospital. Witnesses also described seeing family members and police rushing to direct people away from the wreckage.
Video recorded near the intersection shows emergency vehicles crowding the roadway, with multiple damaged cars scattered across Telegraph as responders worked under flashing lights.
Telegraph Road Crash History
The stretch of Telegraph around Five Mile has already been on law enforcement’s radar because of frequent collisions, according to previous Local 4 reporting. WDIV reported last year that the Telegraph-Schoolcraft corridor remains a high-patrol area and that Redford Township has expanded its traffic unit in response to crash concerns.
Metro Detroit has also seen other wrong-way incidents this year. A March collision in Wayne County injured multiple people, according to ClickOnDetroit.
Police Ask for Tips
Investigators are still piecing together every move that led up to the deadly drive. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Officer Jacob Vance at [email protected] or 313-387-2561 in the Redford Township Police Traffic Bureau, ClickOnDetroit quoted.
Police have not released the name of the wrong-way driver or said whether impairment may have been a factor. The Redford traffic unit continues to interview witnesses and examine the scene.
The crash remains under investigation. Telegraph Road was closed in the area while crews cleared the wreckage, and more details are expected once police complete their work.
