First responders tell 7 Action News a fatal crash on I-94 that killed four people may be the worst they’ve ever seen. Photos on a Gofundme page show three of the four victims.
- First responders call I-94 crash that killed 4 'worst they've ever seen'
- Police: 4 dead in crash on I-94 in St. Clair Shores, baby survives
"Just the amount of carnage I guess involved in this crash, it kind of set a lot of people back,” said Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw.
Police were called to the scene in the east bound lanes of I-94 at 8 Mile, the border of Harper Woods and St. Clair Shores, at 1:05 Monday morning.
They tell 7 Action News a Buick SUV carrying five people was found mangled and crushed on the right embankment of the highway.
Lt. Shaw says the driver, 20-year-old Doreal Rogers and front seat passenger 20-year-old Alesia Maddox were found dead inside the car. They were not buckled up. Shaw says they were not ejected from the car because the impact of the crash pinned their bodies inside.
The back two passengers, 18-year-old Armonie Maddox and 18-year-old Ervin Johnson were ejected from the car and both died. They were also not wearing seat belts.
Lt. Shaw says Armonie and Alesia are brother and sister.
Alesia's son, who just turned one-year-old on Saturday, is the only survivor and was the only person with a seat belt on, although Lt. Shaw says he was improperly buckled into a car seat.
"It wasn't the right age, it wasn't the right fit, it wasn't the right anything and still saved this kid's life,” said Lt. Shaw.
John Wade, who helped call 911, was also driving down I-94 and witnessed the moments before the crash.
"Out of nowhere the car came flying down the side of us, doing about 80."
He says the SUV swerved across three lanes then hit the 8 Mile overpass bridge.
"It hit the wall, hit the wall hard and it just spun out of control,” explained Wade. He said his father helped rescue the baby boy from the car.
"The baby was in a car seat. That's the only thing that probably saved the baby was the car seat."
Investigators say the four victims are all from Detroit. They have spoken with family but do not know why the four were driving at 1:00 a.m.
Police suspect speed was a factor in the crash but are still working to determine the exact cause.
That toddler was checked out at a hospital for minor injuries. Lt. Shaw says he will be sent home with family.
