Suspected drunk driver crashes into state police car on I-75: Highlights 'Move Over Law'

State police car crash on I-75 highlights 'Move Over Law'

MSP said a trooper was responding to a crash on the northbound side of the freeway near the M-46 exit around 6:45 a.m. when another vehicle hit their vehicle. The trooper was not inside the patrol vehicle, but was forced to jump out of the way to avoid being struck.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - It was a small crash that escalated to a terrifying one when a suspected drunk driver slammed into a Michigan State Police (MSP) vehicle on I-75 in Saginaw County while pulled over.

The backstory:

Body camera footage shows a frantic quest with a Trooper, several cars, the median and the fight to not get crushed in between.

Police arrested the at-fault driver and an investigation is ongoing.

Big picture view:

Meanwhile, scenes like that are becoming all too familiar for MSP, doing a dangerous job on state roadways.

"We’ve lost seven people in our history that were killed in preventable crashes on the side of the road," said MSP First Lt. Mike Shaw.

One of them included trooper Joel Popp who was killed during a traffic stop near Birch Run in January 2024, leaving behind his wife and their young daughter.

This and other incidents alike are sounding the alarm on dangerous driving, with two of their patrol cars hit in one week and seven in January.

"We’re not talking enforcement or anything like that, we’re talking about common sense and being responsible to other people that are out there," Shaw said.

What you can do:

MSP are pointing to existing rules like the ‘Move Over Law.'

The law requires drivers to slow down and move over for police, fire, EMS, and road service workers, including tow trucks and MDOT courtesy vehicles that have their emergency lights activated.

If there is no room to move over, drivers must slow down to at least 10 mph below the posted speed limit when approaching the vehicle and pass with caution.

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