Police cite weather, alcohol as causes of 7-vehicle New Year’s Day crash in Novi

NOVI — The new year started with an unwanted bang in Novi, as winter weather conditions, coupled with alcohol, were the likely causes of a seven-car pileup on eastbound Interstate 96, just west of Novi Road, on Jan. 1. 

A man believed to be under the influence of alcohol was driving east on Interstate 96 when he struck two vehicles during a snowstorm at 9:19 p.m., according to Novi Police Sgt. Joshua Johnson. Four other vehicles ended up crashing into the median and each other as they swerved to avoid the initial incident, Johnson said.

“It appears the initial crash was both weather-related and it appears to be the result of somebody driving under the influence of alcohol as well,” Johnson said. “That person struck a couple of cars, and then the remaining crashes happened as weather-related results of people trying to avoid that crash.”

Johnson said that he believed some of the drivers might have been going too fast around the curve on the highway for the mounting slick and icy road conditions during the snowstorm. 

“Being at the location it was …  I think people were coming around that curve a little bit quickly for the weather conditions, and then they were kind of running into a scene where they didn’t have ample time to stop, slow down or move over. So, we ended up having seven cars involved in it,” he said.

The man who started the series of crashes was arrested for driving under the influence, Johnson said.

According to Johnson, there were no major injuries and no fatalities. He said that two people had minor injuries. One person reportedly had minor rib pain, and another person reportedly had minor back pain following the crash. The person who had back pain decided to be evaluated at a hospital. No other injuries were reported. 

The incident caused the freeway to be shut down from Beck Road to Novi Road as police surveyed and cleared the scene. That stretch of the highway was reopened just before midnight that day. 

 All seven cars had to be towed from the scene, Johnson said. 

The incident required an extensive police presence. Eight Novi police units tended to the crash. Novi police said that Wixom police and the Michigan Department of Transportation Courtesy Patrol assisted at the scene.