KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Traffic came to a standstill on southbound US 131 in Wyoming near 44th street, Monday morning.
State police said fifteen vehicles were involved in a pileup around 10:45 a.m.
“I think one or two crashes caused a massive pileup. It was kind of a whiteout at the time too,” Brad Popilek, a trooper with the Michigan State Police said.
It was a chain reaction after one vehicle lost control, and the highway had to be shut down. Arthur Johnson was caught in the middle of the pileup.
“[The] accident I guess started down by 54th street, and it just backed up,” Johnson explained.
“The lady here in the gray car had hit someone, and she was in the middle of the highway. The pickup truck in front of me went into a skid trying to avoid the accident, and he did a 180,” he added.
But when Johnson avoided that collision, he hit another vehicle. Tammy Cross was behind him.
“So I was approaching it, and I started slowing down, start pumping my breaks a little bit,” Cross explained.
“My car started sliding. I went sideways, and then another little vehicle came up from behind and hit the… passenger side,” she said.
Cross said her car is totaled. The wheel is bent inward. However, Johnson and Cross are thankful it didn’t end worse than it did.
“Yes, yes. We’re all OK, and that’s good. It’s just, it’s winter time. And so I haven’t been in an accident my whole life so i guess it’s a first for everything,” Cross said.
US 131 opened up to one lane about one hour after the accidents. The highway re-opened completely at about 12:45.
No injuries were reported.
