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Family injured in fiery I-96 multi-vehicle crash was returning from Ford Field band competition – Macomb Daily

Online Niel November 5, 2024

A fundraiser has been set up to help the family of Mt. Pleasant involved in a horrific accident east of Lansing Saturday night.

The VanHorn family was returning from a high school band competition at Ford Field when an attack on I-96 in eastern Ingham County killed four people and injured 17.

According to police, the crash happened around 11:40 p.m. near Webberville. DTE Energy had just finished stringing power lines when they reopened the highway. The cars were stopped in a line, waiting for the traffic to ease, when a semi-trailer crashed into the vehicles.

Three Lansing residents in a Chevy Trax died in the crash – a 20-year-old, a 43-year-old and a 47-year-old, all women. A 29-year-old Carson City resident in a Ford F-150 was also killed.

A spokesperson for DTE Energy discussed the timing of the work.

“If we’re going to do something like this on the freeway, we’re going to do it when there’s the least amount of traffic on the freeway because it needs to be closed for both the safety of people traveling and their safety. our crews, so we’re working with the Michigan State Police on that and trying to determine when it’s going to cause the least amount of inconvenience,” Rosso said.

The bridge will be inspected by the Michigan Department of Education, closing westbound I-96 and M-52 indefinitely until the inspections are complete.

Late Monday afternoon, MDOT reported that “I-96 eastbound will have two lanes closed at Chilson Road to allow crews to safely move the temporary barrier in Howell” from 6:00 pm today until 3:00 am Tuesday , November 5.

The VanHorn family, brutally rear-ended in the crash, were rescued from the wreckage after their car burst into flames after the impact.

Sam, Kim and Alex VanHorn were immediately transported to Sparrow Hospital for treatment and were evaluated throughout the night.

Sam was hospitalized, while the other two were discharged.

The three feel they “received amazing care throughout the process,” even though the injuries are extensive. Kim says “there’s a long road to recovery ahead of us” but that support levels are high. Kim’s husband Sam is not doing well at the moment. He is still in hospital, while Alex is at home in bed with a lower lumbar fracture. Kim suffered many bruises, scrapes, burns and cuts, as well as a large hematoma on her leg. The family has follow-up appointments this week to determine next steps.

Charlene Dengler, Kim’s sister-in-law and Sam’s older sister, has started a GoFundMe to support her family during this difficult time. The fundraiser currently has a goal of $15,000; $11,380 had been raised by early Monday afternoon. By 3:30 p.m., the amount raised was nearly $15,500, surpassing the goal, with 321 people donating.

Anyone wishing to donate to the cause and support the VanHorn family, please visit donation site.

The Detroit News contributed to this report.

Originally published: November 4, 2024 at 4:25 PM EST