Man killed after crashing into sheriff's deputy cruisers on M-59
Photo courtesy: Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
FOX 2 (WJBK) - A 29-year-old driver was killed after crashing into two stopped Oakland County Sheriff's Office vehicles on M-59 late Saturday night.
The deputies were blocking traffic so a disabled vehicle could be removed from the highway at the time of the crash. Two sheriff's deputies were injured in the crash, which happened at 11:59 p.m. on eastbound M-59 near Rochester Road in Rochester Hills.
The driver of the truck identified as Nicholas Leach of Shelby Township, was trapped in his Ford F-150 truck, and was extricated by Rochester Hills firefighters. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Deputies were on the scene to assist with traffic as a vehicle that had caught fire earlier was being removed by a tow truck from the left lane of M-59.
The deputies were sitting in their marked vehicles with emergency lights on blocking traffic on the shoulder and the left lane of M-59.
Leach's 2004 F-150 truck heading eastbound, rear-ended the patrol vehicle blocking the left lane, causing the patrol vehicle to spin, and hit the second patrol vehicle that was blocking the shoulder. The truck came to rest on the side of the road.
The truck failed to move over or slow down for the emergency vehicles, which led to the crash, according to the sheriff's office.
"While the crash investigation is ongoing, the one thing is that is clear is how dangerous it is for emergency vehicles and wreckers on the side of the road," Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. "It is a tragic reminder to the public to stay capable of driving, focused and move over a lane, away from any emergency vehicles on the side of the road as required by law."
Photo courtesy: Oakland County Sheriff's Office.