A 34-year-old Flint man died Oct. 27 after the semi-truck he was driving overturned on eastbound I-69 in Attica Township. Boulders spilled across both directions of the highway, which was closed for roughly five hours. The crash occurred at 9:46 a.m. near the Lake Pleasant Road exit, west of M-53 (Van Dyke Road), according to the Tri-City Times.
The Lapeer County Sheriff's Office identified the driver as Tyller Zeller, according to the Tri-City Times. MLive identified him as Tyler Zellar, 34. The Tri-City Times reported that the truck crossed from the right eastbound lane into the left lane, left the roadway and overturned in the center median. MLive reported that deputies were called at 9:46 a.m. and arrived three minutes later.
Truck Still Running, Leaking Fuel When Deputies Arrived
The truck was a 1998 Ford tractor-trailer hauling a 28-foot East rock box trailer loaded with boulders. It was still running and leaking diesel when deputies arrived, according to the Tri-City Times. The rollover damaged the cab and trailer and sent rocks into both eastbound and westbound lanes; one boulder reached an exit ramp. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, MLive reported. No other motorists reported injuries or vehicle damage from the debris.
Attica Township Fire Department and Imlay City Fire and Rescue crews contained the fuel spill and extricated the driver, the Tri-City Times reported. Local police, fire and EMS personnel, the sheriff's office, road crews and towing companies also responded to the crash.
Boulders Cleared, Highway Reopened by Mid-Afternoon
During the closure, traffic was diverted via the Lake Pleasant Road exit ramps and routed back onto I-69 beyond the crash site. Tow crews righted the truck, while road crews used heavy equipment to remove the boulders, according to the seed facts. The investigation and cleanup ended around 3 p.m., when MDOT reopened the highway.
Lapeer County Sheriff's Detective Jason Parks said the preliminary investigation pointed to driver error or a shift in cargo weight as possible causes; investigators ruled out mechanical failure, according to the Tri-City Times. An autopsy completed Oct. 30 found no medical issues or intoxicants were involved. The driver had been hauling boulders from a job site in Lapeer to Columbus, Michigan.
A Second Fatal Rollover on the Same Stretch
A separate fatal rollover near the Winlow Road overpass also occurred on I-69 in Attica Township. The crash, which closed eastbound I-69 for about three hours, was unrelated to this one, according to CBS News Detroit. The two incidents do not establish a broader pattern of rollovers on the corridor.
Details of Another Attica Township Crash
The Clarkston News reported that the separate crash happened Aug. 26 near the Winslow Road overpass and killed 41-year-old Curtis Willis of Clarkston. His 2018 GMC Savana van crossed the median and was struck by a pickup, after which it left the roadway and rolled into a wooded area below, according to the Clarkston News.
