(WWJ) — One person is dead after what Michigan State Police officials are calling a “tragic crash that didn’t have to happen.”
The crash happened shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday near a construction zone along westbound I-96 near Grange Road, west of Lansing, according to MSP.
In a Thursday update MSP officials revealed a 33-year-old Grand Rapids man driving a semi-truck on the freeway was at-fault for the crash.
Authorities believe the man "was not paying attention" as he came across slowed traffic while approaching a construction zone.
The semi rear-ended a Chevy Cruze and the collision pushed the car into a Land Rover, which was then pushed into the back of another semi-truck, according to MSP. The Land Rover was thrown and overturned into the ditch, while the Chevy was crushed between the two semis.
The driver of the Chevy, a 74-year-old woman from Sparta, was killed in the crash.
The at-fault semi driver and the driver of the Land Rover, a 62-year-old Rockford woman, both suffered serious injuries. Their conditions were not known Thursday afternoon. The driver of the other semi, a 23-year-old man from Grand Rapids, was uninjured.
The crash left westbound I-96 closed in the area for several hours while troopers investigated and crews cleared the wreckage.
Alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors in the crash.
MSP Lt. Rene Gonzalez in a video update from the freeway late Wednesday afternoon highlighted the importance of paying attention on the roads, especially near construction zones.
“What we’re asking is to be careful out there. When you’re in those construction zones, you gotta pay attention. Slow down and look far down the road to pay attention to what’s going on,” Gonzalez said.