More than 100 vehicles pile up on Michigan interstate amid lake-effect snowstorm

More than 100 vehicles smashed into each other or slid off Interstate 196 southwest of Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Monday as lake-effect snow reduced visibility and prompted Michigan State Police to close the freeway in both directions. The pileup involved more than 30 semitrailer trucks and produced numerous injuries; no deaths had been reported. Stranded motorists were bused to Hudsonville High School while multiple towing companies worked to clear the wreckage.

The crash is among the most severe local incidents so far in a major winter storm sweeping from the Upper Midwest south and east, with the National Weather Service issuing warnings across several states from northern Minnesota through Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — More than 100 vehicles smashed into each other or slid off Interstate 196 in Michigan on Monday as lake-effect snow blanketed the area southwest of Grand Rapids and reduced visibility to near zero.

Michigan State Police closed both directions of I-196 Monday morning while officials worked to remove all the vehicles, including more than 30 semitrailer trucks. State Police said there were numerous injuries, but no deaths had been reported.

The crash is among the most severe local incidents in a major winter storm sweeping from the Upper Midwest south and east, with the National Weather Service issuing warnings about extremely cold temperatures or potential winter storms across several states from northern Minnesota through Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Eyewitness account

Pedro Mata Jr. said he could barely see the cars in front of him as the snow blew across the road while he drove 20 to 25 mph before the crash. He stopped his pickup safely, then pulled it off the road into the median to avoid being hit from behind.

“It was a little scary just listening to everything, the bangs and booms behind you. I saw what was in front of me. I couldn’t see what was behind me exactly,” Mata said.

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s office reported multiple crashes and jack-knifed semis along with numerous cars that slid off the road.

Cleanup and road closure

Stranded motorists were bused to Hudsonville High School, where they could call for help or arrange a ride. Officials expected the road to be closed for several hours during the cleanup.

Grand Valley Towing sent more than a dozen of its trucks to the scene. Several towing companies responded to the chain-reaction crash.

“We’re trying to get as many vehicles out of there as quickly as possible, so we can get the road opened back up,” said Jeff Westveld, a manager at Grand Valley Towing.

Broader storm impacts

A day earlier, snow fell as far south as the Florida Panhandle and made it harder for football players to hold onto the ball during playoff games in Massachusetts and Chicago. Forecasters warned Monday that freezing temperatures are possible overnight into Tuesday across much of north-central Florida and southeast Georgia.