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

Around 6:45 a.m., according to MSP, a trooper was responding to a collision on the northbound side of the freeway close to the M-46 exit when their car was struck by another vehicle. The trooper had to leap out of the path to prevent getting hit even though they were not inside the patrol car.

DETROIT (FOX 2):A suspected drunk motorist struck a Michigan State Police (MSP) vehicle on I-75 in what started out as a minor collision but quickly turned into a terrifying one.

The backstory

A frantic search involving a trooper, multiple automobiles, the median, and the struggle to avoid being crushed in between is captured on body camera footage.

Around 6:45 a.m., according to MSP, a trooper was responding to a collision on the northbound side of the freeway close to the M-46 exit when their car was struck by another vehicle. The trooper had to leap out of the path to prevent getting hit even though they were not inside the patrol car.

The at-fault motorist was taken into custody by police, and an investigation is still underway.

Overview:

As MSP does a hazardous job maintaining state roads, incidents like that are growing all too familiar.

According to MSP First Lt. Mike Shaw, “we’ve lost seven people in our history that were killed in preventable crashes on the side of the road.”

Among them was trooper Joel Popp, who lost his wife and little daughter when he was murdered in January 2024 during a traffic check close to Birch Run.

With two of their police cars being struck in a single week and seven in January, this and other cases are raising awareness of reckless driving.

“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 stated.

What you are able to do:

MSP is citing current regulations, such as the Move Over Law.

For police, fire, EMS, and road service personnel, including tow trucks and MDOT courtesy cars with their emergency lights on, drivers are required by law to slow down and yield.

Drivers must approach the vehicle at a minimum of 10 mph below the posted speed limit and pass cautiously if there is no space to move over.

Highlighted

On Wednesday morning, a Michigan State Police cruiser and a suspected intoxicated driver collided on I-75 in Saginaw County.