Full Notification

The Columbia Township Police Department is currently investigating a two-vehicle accident that occurred at approximately 8:12 P.M. on Saturday, September 13, 2014, at the intersection of M-50 & South Brooklyn Road in Columbia Township.

Arriving officers and Columbia Township Fire and Rescue personnel on the scene located two female occupants of a 2009 Dodge Caliber that were seriously injured. Both occupants of the Caliber were transported to Allegiance Hospital by ground ambulance, suffering serious injuries. The airbags in the Caliber did deploy.

The second vehicle was a semi-tractor pulling a tanker (carrying chloride). The male driver was transported to Allegiance by ground ambulance as a precaution.

Although the investigation is preliminary, it appears the Dodge Caliber was northbound on Brooklyn Road, and upon arriving at the intersection of M-50, the driver pulled out onto M-50 into the path of the semi-tractor/tanker, which was traveling southbound on M-50. The driver of the semi took evasive action, but still made contact with the driver’s side of the Dodge Caliber.

The semi then rolled once, landing on the left side, skidding off the roadway and onto the right-of-way on the East side of M-50. Several signs and sections of guardrail were sheared off by the semi. The Dodge Caliber was heavily damaged, as was the semi-tractor. The tanker remained intact, and as of the time of this press release, had not leaked any of it’s contents.

M-50 in both directions has been closed since the time of the accident, and will remain so for a short period of time to allow the righting of the semi & tanker, and cleanup of the scene.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the accident, which is still under investigation. The names of the passengers were not available at the time of this press release.

The Columbia Township Police Department was assisted at the scene by the Michigan State Police and the Motor Carrier division.