An early-morning crash involving seven vehicles on M-59 eastbound near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard has claimed the life of a Pontiac driver and injured others, as law enforcement says icy road conditions and vehicle speed played a major role.
Icy Conditions, High Speed and Chain Reaction
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began just before 6 a.m. when two east-bound drivers—one a 34-year-old man from Pontiac, the other a 20-year-old from Waterford—both struck an icy patch and lost control. The Waterford driver’s vehicle slid into the cable barrier while the Pontiac driver’s car tipped onto its side and re-entered traffic. His vehicle’s roof was struck by a pickup truck driven by an 18-year-old from Oxford, triggering additional collisions involving multiple other vehicles.
All drivers were reportedly wearing seat belts.
Victim and Injuries
The Pontiac man was pronounced dead at the scene. The Waterford driver, in a Chevrolet Impala, sustained minor injuries and was treated at a hospital. No other drivers reported injuries in the crash.
Weather Warning & Safety Reminder
Authorities are urging drivers to slow down and adjust their travel to match road conditions, especially during early-morning hours when surface ice is most likely. Even minor ice patches can become deadly at high speeds, investigators say.
