TROY, Mich. – Police said a woman was killed Saturday in a crash that might have been tied to a drag race and drunk driving after the Dream Cruise on I-75 in Troy.
Police believe a drunken driver might have crashed into a car preparing for a drag race on I-75.
Troy police said they still are still investigating the exact cause of the fatal crash. They are investigating whether the drag race was interrupted by a drunken driver.
A 1984 Mazda Rx-8 with sporty wheels and after-market front lighting was left broken and burned after it was rear-ended by a red Ford F-150, police said. The crash happened overnight Saturday in the center lane of southbound I-75.
Troy police said there were two people inside the Mazda when another car slowed down to a crawl. The traffic behind the two cars didn't slow down, and the F-150 drove right up the back of the Mazda at full speed.
The pickup truck was driven by an unidentified Warren man, police said.
The collision was so powerful, the back half of the Mazda was completely destroyed. The car was pushed to the breakdown lane, hit the guard rail and burst into flames.
Cassandra Hunter, 27, of Innisfil, Ontario, which is just outside of Toronto, was killed in the crash. She was the passenger in the Mazda and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Mazda, a 29-year-old man from Innisfil, was taken to a nearby hospital in serious condition.
Troy police arrested the driver of the red pickup truck. They conducted a field sobriety test, but opted to also do a blood sample because the crash included a death.
It takes a week or two for blood tests to reveal whether alcohol was involved in a crash, so for the time being, the driver was sent home pending charges.
Troy police said the couple in the Mazda attended the Dream Cruise. They aren't sure if they were on their way back to Canada or still looking to enjoy more of the festivities.
There are still skid and burn marks on the highway.