OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The northbound lanes of I-75 were closed Saturday at East Holly Road due to a massive pileup involving 37 vehicles, including four semi-trucks.
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Whiteout conditions are to blame for the pileup in northern Oakland County. SUVs, cars and even tractor-trailers could be seen bent, crushed or destroyed after the highway became a sheet of ice near Holly Road.
Sam Ford found his pickup getting pounded from every direction.
"I got hit from the front, the back about four times and hit from the side," Ford said. "I was in the middle, and it kept hitting me and pushing me further into the (vehicle) before me."
With every hit, Ford thought he and his friend might get crushed or worse.
"I'm wondering if that's going to be it," Ford said. "I looked at my best friend and said, 'Hey man, I don't know.' He said, 'I don't either.'"
Michigan State Police said there were no fatalities in the crash. Several people were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. There were 12 reported injuries.
Several people were bruised and others were transported by ambulance to hospitals. Those who walked away told Local 4 News the fear of sitting in this was hard to describe.
"You can't stop and you're helpless. That's a bad feeling," Ford said.
"Definitely anxiety, but it comes down to hold on," Jim Portice said. "It's all in God's hands at that point. You have no control."
So did road crews do their part? Oakland County officials told Local 4 News they had maybe two salt trucks out at the time, but conditions changed so quickly. Crews were out Saturday and planned to stay there overnight preparing for what's next.
Vehicles backed up in the northbound lanes were being cleared from the highway driving the wrong way.
— Beags (@beaglejs) December 10, 2016
1) MSP is working a multiple vehicle crash on I 75 NB near Holly Rd. No fatalities. SB 75 is also restricted due to gawker crashes. pic.twitter.com/OYfndeeQhu
— MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) December 10, 2016
The northbound lanes of I-75 were also closed at Dixie Highway while crews salted the roads. These lanes have since reopened. Multiple agencies were a part of the emergency response.
Whiteout conditions caused a pileup involving more than 40 vehicles Thursday on I-96 near Fowlerville. Westbound and eastbound lanes were closed for most of the day and three people were killed.
READ: Whiteout conditions likely cause of fatal pileup on I-96
READ: Ann Arbor couple, Flordia man identified as fatal victims in interstate pileup
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