A driver was killed on I-94 near Chelsea early this morning when he lost control of his car on suspected black ice, and it struck an unoccupied car resting against a guardrail, authorities said.
The accident occurred at about 6:10 a.m. on eastbound I-94 near Kalmbach Road in Sylvan Township, a curve that's been a hotspot for crashes over the years.
Michigan State Police Sgt. Tony Cuevas said a 56-year-old Munith man lost control on black ice on the curve. His vehicle spun into a parked car that that had struck a guardrail.
Cuevas said the woman driving the car that hit the guardrail got out of her car minutes earlier and was walking down the freeway when she saw her car get hit.
"She recognized she was in a bad spot, so she was trying to move away," Cuevas said.
The Jackson County man was the sole occupant in his car. His identity has not yet been released.
The two eastbound lanes of I-94 are closed, and traffic has been able to pass on the right shoulder only, state police said. Troopers are conducting an investigation and hope to have the roadway re-opened soon, Cuevas said at 10:30 a.m.
The fatal crash was one of many accidents around Washtenaw County blamed on icy road conditions.
Ann Arbor Police Lt. Renee Bush said city police handled at least three multi-vehicle crashes between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., including a 10-car pile-up on South State Street over I-94. Two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries in that crash.
Lee Higgins of AnnArbor.com contributed to this report.
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