SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A driver was killed overnight after speeding into an Oakland County construction zone, trying to pass another car by going into the closed lanes, and hitting a backhoe.
The crash happened at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday, June 28, on southbound I-75 near Dixie Highway in Springfield Township.
Michigan State Police said a driver entered the construction zone at a high speed and tried to pass a car that was in the left lane going the appropriate speed.
The speeding driver tried to pass on the right by going inside the barrels and using the closed lanes, officials said. Construction workers were at the scene at the time, according to authorities.
Police said the driver lost control, struck a backhoe, and crashed into the car in the left lane. The collision forced the speeding car into the right ditch, where it struck a tree, officials said.
The driver was killed in the crash, police said. That person was not wearing a seatbelt.
“This is another example of risky driving behavior leading to a preventable traffic crash in one of our construction zones,” Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw said. “Drivers need to make sure they are following the speed limit, especially in a construction zone. Lives depend on it.”
A dog inside the car was also injured. That dog was turned over to Oakland County Animal Control.
The worker on the backhoe and the driver of the other car were not injured.
Southbound I-75 was shut down at East Holly Road during the investigation.
It’s unclear if drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash. Police continue to investigate.