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Fatal Car Accident on US-127

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Posted: 10:40 PM Aug 22, 2008
Last Updated: 10:40 PM Aug 22, 2008
Reporter: Jamie Edmonds
Email Address: jamie.edmonds@wilx.com

9 comments

A | A | A

Right at the height of Friday afternoon rush hour --- a gasoline tanker rolled over onto an SUV- at the US-127/ I-496 interchange.

"When we all responded, immediately we had some life safety issues with the occupants in the car and the truck driver," Lansing Fire Marshall Brad Drury said.

One person in the SUV was killed. The other passenger and the driver of the truck were taken to sparrow hospital.

Complicating matters even further, the tanker began leaking fuel onto the highway.

"The HazMat team contained the gasoline and controlled it," Drury said.

Police were forced to shutdown US-127 northbound from Jolly Road to 496 --- backing up traffic for miles.

"As soon as I got from I-96 to US-127 I just had to stop," One driver said. "It's been over an hour to go a mile."

"It's been two hours of kinda just sitting listening to the Jonas brothers," another said.

The East Lansing police are investigating.

One eye witness tells Newsten improper lane changes from the SUV, which was pulling a boat, may have caused the accident.

"There's a lot of traffic congestion here, which may of had a factor, but that's still under investigation," Drury said.

Police say it could take days to figure out what happened in just seconds.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Jimmy Location: Jackson on Aug 28, 2008 at 06:30 AM
Speed may be! STUPID PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE - YES!!!

Posted by: Roger Location: East Lansing on Aug 27, 2008 at 12:35 AM
This tragic accident appears to be a classic example of the idiot who caused the mayhem motoring away unharmed, while others who were trying to drive safely were left dead or injured. Even in dry weather, 70 mph is too fast for that complex I-496/US 127 interchange with all the traffic congestion, sharp curves and several on-off ramps. When those roads are wet or frozen, they are even more dangerous. Police enforcement in those areas is rarely seen anymore. Short third lanes on both sides of US 127 between I-496 and Saginaw would relieve congestion and reduce merging, and are long overdue. MDOT should seriously consider lowering the speed limit to 60 mph on US 127 between Jolly Rd. and Lake Lansing Rd., on I-496 out to Waverly Rd. Dropping it 10 mph for those short distances won't affect travel time much. There will always be some foolish and careless drivers endangering others. But at 60 mph, the careful drivers and their passengers might have a better chance to survive.

Posted by: Kim Location: Lansing on Aug 26, 2008 at 10:32 AM
It's NOT the speed limit it's the driver's! People waiting till the last minute to get over not paying any attention to the solid white line. Then there is also the driver that has the mentality of "me first!" It's tragic but not the fault of MDOT . . no changes are needed there!

Posted by: Cindy Location: Perry on Aug 25, 2008 at 11:08 PM
I drive this stretch all the time. It's not the speed so much as stupidity. The speed limit is 70 but people still drive 55 through there and cause a traffic jam plus every time I go through there someone is waiting until the last minute to move over into the right lane after passing the trowbridge exit. There is a solid white line but rarely do people obey the traffic laws in this section. Frandor is a bottleneck and this area needs to be fixed or we'll continue to see terrible accidents..hours of traffic backups..and more deaths until they do.

Posted by: Kurt Location: Lansing on Aug 25, 2008 at 07:30 AM
How many accidents and/or deaths will MDOT need before they lower the speed limit in that area, possibly back to 55 mph. It seems to me that since the speed limit was raised to 70 mph is when the serious problems started. Wake up MDOT!

Posted by: Michelle Location: Mason on Aug 24, 2008 at 10:35 PM
I drive this stretch every day. The free-way needs to be 3 lanes, which would greatly reduce congestion. This is the capitol city after all. I wish that someone making decisions regarding this should have to drive it every day. It is dangerous. I believe that signs should be posted at least a mile back stating which lane you need to be in at the split. While making 3 lanes would be a major headache for commuters, it is long overdue and critical to everyone's safety.

Posted by: John Location: Lansing on Aug 24, 2008 at 03:13 PM
How does Vicki know that speed was a factor? Going slower does mean safety!!!

Posted by: kristy Location: mi on Aug 23, 2008 at 09:54 PM
Sad story! I ve seen people pulling trailers many times on the highway, and some tend to seem to forget they have that extra load on the back end of their auto. It always amazes me how some do Make lane changes many times in the blink of an eye. Please if you are pulling a trailer , take it slow and remember that you have extra weight on your vehicle, which makes it even more difficult to stop. DRIVE SAFE for this upcomming holiday!!

Posted by: Vicki Location: Mason, MI on Aug 23, 2008 at 08:51 AM
We all need to slow down killing someone by being impatient on the roads is sad.

Expert: Big 3 Failure Would Be Disaster

Posted By: craig: If anyone in power was really concerned with helping people of lesser means we would be talking about bring jobs back to the USA where we can prosper and be proud of hard work again. how about a bailout for the countless unemployed AMERICANS, or parents on the brink of disaster that will last a lifetime.
Posted By: craig: government should help automakers at this point, however to say they (auto makers) are not responsible for the recession is absurd. how many more jobs can they push overseas before there will be no one left to purchase their products anyhow?
Posted By: Buzz: Why should the Big 3 be bailed out? GM wants to sell off our discontinue the Saturn, which is affordable but has made no mention of discontinuing the Corvette and other less affordable models. If GM wants help have them pick one particular model in each of its lines, i.e. the Lacrosse for Buick, Impala for Chevrolet and the Aura for Saturn. GM is about as impervious as the out-going President is - they just don't get it! I read and sympathize with the line workers who say they can't even afford to buy a new car from the company that they work for - that's pretty sad and certainly doesn't promote company solidarity. Like I've said before, make the Big 3 sell what's sitting at all the dealerships even if they have to take a loss before making another automobile. Why keep making what nobody wants at prices nobody wants to pay?
Posted By: Beth: The Big 3 failure would be a major disaster - I agree. However, I don't feel that the government or tax payers should bail them out until they have made the same kinds of concessions that citizens, small business, and union members have already made. Begin by severely downsizing the execs and their benefits i.e. luxuries. Times are tough and they should share in the "recession life style" is part of the reason for decreased car sales. I need a newer car badly, but it's not on my shopping list any time soon. They are flying and driving nice cars. Get real! The union members have suffered considerable cuts already including loss of workers, benefits and wages. Make equal cuts in management, wages, and benefits, then look at union members' additional concessions, and financial aide from the government.
Posted By: jon: like i said we the workers will and are getting hurt.they gain we lose
Posted By: ME: Thank you UAW, if the union would not have barganed until the big 3 couldn't afford it any more we would all be able to afford nice cars. I was in the union before and it definently isnt all peaches and cream. Sure they will fight to get you more but look what it has done.. Workers recieved more then the company could afford and now more may lose everything. Thanks again UAW. It is flat out B.S. that the government will bail out huge corporations but only give the autos a loan. Its all for the politicians gain, main street America has been hurting alot longer then wall street, but wall street affected the politicians pocket so they did something about it. Mr & Mrs politician help us out, cut your pay & benefits.......quit cutting ours.
Posted By: LegallyRad: To Explain: If the banks were not bailed out, that would have affected the big 3, and every other business that deals with the banks (show me one that doesn't). This has nothing to do with Bush. Big 3 are very poorly run, and concede too much to organized labor. The bail out will first be essentially worthless since it will amount to a drop in a bucket, and the companies just blow cash. They need to fail to preserve our American capitalistic economy. Chances are only one or two of them will go out of business, but if they properly restructure then they could be saved... restructuring means cutting labor costs and consolidating products. If you want to blame something, it's mostly due to the mortgage crisis which began with Carter and Clinton who refused to allow banks to ensure that people could actually pay for their loans because they felt it might be discrimination. Look where that policy got us. Bush just happens to be in office when their poorly built floor calapsed.
Posted By: Michele: I cannot believe that they are not going to bail out the Big 3.Ford is not even sure it is going to need the money. And why do the banks get bailouts with no questions asked but they make the Big 3 jump through hoops of fire and all they want to do is borrow the money...... Reid is an idiot, and doesn't have a clue of how manufacturing works and what the ramifications down the road will be. Including restraurant, stores, and other service industries closing and going out of business due to lack of business. Let's keep America working!
Posted By: : George Bush did not run our country in the ditch. He crash it stright into the wall at 100/mph.
Posted By: pat: this is one more reason we need to thank George Bush for running our country into the ditch!

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