Detroit snow squalls: crashes pileup in Southeast Michigan storm

Southeast Michigan was punched Wednesday night and Thursday morning with snow squalls, dumping a couple inches of snow along three Detroit area freeways.

The first Winter Weather Advisory of the season was issued for Thursday morning after the blowing snow started late Wednesday night. The lake effect snow squalls blew through northern Wayne County and southern Oakland and Macomb Counties, particularly along the 696 corridor.

On Thursday morning, Michigan State Police reported it had responded to 86 traffic crashes.

"Slow down!" MSP wrote on X. "Weather doesn’t cause crashes, drivers do!"

Salt trucks and snow plows are out on the roads, but you must stay 200 feet behind a plow while driving. 

Additionally, Michigan law requires drivers to move over and slow down 10 miles per hour below the posted speed limit when encountering emergency vehicles – including police and tow trucks.

On Thursday morning, an MSP car was rear-ended while working a crash on I-75 by a semi-truck. 

Multiple MSP units had major damage after being hit near the 11 Mile ramp in Royal Oak. 

The semi attempted to brake after coming upon the parked MSP vehicles, causing him to lose control and crash into the first patrol car - sending it 100 yards into the rear of another state police car where one of the troopers was sitting.

Police said the truck was trying to pass slow moving traffic by moving into the left lane but that's where the MSP troopers were parked with emergency lights running. The trooper avoided serious injury by hopping over the median wall. The truck driver was arrested for reckless driving.