- A man was seriously injured on I-96W in Detroit when he was struck by oncoming traffic while changing a flat tire near Outer Drive, with the circumstances still under investigation.
A man was seriously injured on I-96W in Detroit Thursday morning when he got out of his car to change a flat tire and was struck by oncoming traffic, Michigan State Police said. The incident occurred around 6 a.m. near Outer Drive, where his disabled vehicle had come to rest in the gore area between the express and local lanes. He was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, and the circumstances are still under investigation.
According to Michigan State Police, by way of FOX 2 Detroit, the victim got the flat just before 6 a.m. and pulled onto the gore, which is the wedge of pavement that separates the express lanes from the local ones. He stepped out of the vehicle and was hit by another driver almost immediately. Troopers say the investigation into how the second car struck him remains open.
The wreck occurred in the middle of the Thursday morning rush, snarling traffic for hours. State police shut down all but the far-right local lane of westbound I-96 while they worked the scene, and the closure lasted until roughly 8:30 a.m. Motorists were told to steer clear of the area, find another route, and brace for long backups…