IONIA COUNTY, Mich. — The Ionia County Sheriff's Office says 2 people were killed in a crash that shut down I-96 west for several hours, near Sunfield Highway in Orange Township.
According to a release, Ionia County Sheriff Deputies responded to a crash around 3:15 pm involving a semi-truck, a box truck, and a pickup truck.
Deputies say their investigation revealed a semi-truck was completely stopped in traffic in a merge zone on I-96, and a pickup truck was believed to be slowing and/or stopped behind it. The Sheriff's Office explains that a third box truck was unable to stop within an assured clear distance and then rear-ended the pickup truck, pushing it into the semi-truck's trailer. The pickup and box truck both ignited and became engulfed in flames.
Deputies say the drivers of the trucks on fire were trapped and unable to exit. Deputies say both died at the scene, and the semi-truck driver at the front was uninjured.
MDOT shared on X that the stretch of highway reopened around 10:20 p.m.
WB I-96 after Grand River Ave (Exit # 77)
— MDOT - West Michigan (@MDOT_West) July 2, 2025
All Lanes Open
Ionia County
Rob Houten
MDOT West Michigan TOC
07/01/2025
22:18
Images shared with FOX 17 show the fire at the scene, with firefighters working to extinguish the flames.
The Ionia County Sheriff's Office says heavy traffic leading into the construction zone and drivers not maintaining a safe following distance are believed to be the causes of the crash.
