WARREN (WWJ) -- A truck driver from Texas is being blamed for a crash that tied up traffic on I-696 for hours on Thursday.
According to Michigan State Police, the 911 calls began to come in at 3:40 a.m. about a semi that had crashed into the I-696 median wall, near 11 Mile Rd.
MSP said an investigation found a 41-year-old Houston man was driving the semi eastbound on the freeway when he felt the semi start to swerve. He lost control, and drove through the median wall — sending chunks of concrete flying onto the westbound freeway.
It was raining, and MSP said the trucker was "driving too fast for road conditions."
“Drivers need to remember when the weather gets bad, slow down,” said MSP First Lt. Mike Shaw. “We were very lucky that no one was hurt in this crash, but the damage caused and the inconvenience to drivers in the area was substantial. It is important to remember that the weather does not cause crashes, drivers do!”
There were no injuries reported and no other vehicles involved, police said.
The freeway was closed all morning in both directions for clean-up.
At 1 p.m., all lanes reopened to traffic.
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