Crime & Safety

State Police Believe Speeding Teen Caused Semi's Fatal Crash into Kroger

Michigan State Police said their investigation shows a teenage driver was racing another car on I-94, and that led to the deadly accident on Saturday.

A teenager racing on Interstate 94 to a birthday party is believed to be responsible for a deadly crash that sent a semi truck up the embankment and into the Michigan State Police said Monday.

Michigan State Trooper Bronse Gavin said the 19-year-old Detroit woman was on her way to a birthday celebration dinner at a restaurant on Gratiot Avenue and was racing along the freeway against another vehicle.

The teen was driving a Toyota Camry in the left lane at speeds approaching 100 mph, according to witnesses. When she went to change into the center lane, she lost control and struck the semi, Gavin said.

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"They had been on the freeway for some time. When she hit the truck, she was weaving around, back and forth," Gavin said.

She then hit the semi, which was driven by Thayalan Vinasithamby, 44, of Brampton, Ontario, Canada. Vinasithamby lost control of the Indocan Logistics Inc. semi, which drove up the embankment and into the rear wall of the store. He died from injuries sustained by the impact. 

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Gavin said that he is still gathering information about the crash and awaiting results from a blood test administered on the scene. 

He said it could be two to three months before results are returned to investigators. The case will then be turned over to the Wayne County Prosecutor for possible charges.

Harper Woods Fire Lt. Patrick Rollison said one engine with four firefighters were the first to respond to .

When they arrived, the cab of the trailer was fully engulfed in flames with heavy smoke, he said. 

More crews were called to the scene throughout the night. Eventually a fourth alarm was called simply for the manpower, he said. The driver had been hauling empty pop cans, Rollison said.

Kroger Michigan spokesman Dale Hollandsworth said that another delivery driver was injured in the crash. He sustained a broken collar bone and a broken ankle, but is expected to recover. No Kroger employees or customers were injured as a result of the crash.

The fire itself was put out rather quickly. The building sustained smoke damage, but the fire didn't spread to the building, Rollison said. They used a foam extinguisher because of leaking oil and diesel fuel, and firefighters were unable to get into the cab because of the unstable condition of the building, Rollison said.

Approximately 20 to 25 firefighters remained on the scene for five to six hours and also helped clean I-94 of oil and diesel fuel from the crash, he said. That particular section of I-94 north of 8 Mile Road is "well known" as a dangerous area, he said. 

All of the five Grosse Pointes and St. Clair Shores first-responders were at the scene to assist Harper Woods, including fire trucks, crews and police vehicles.

Hollandsworth said the Kroger reopened at 7 p.m. Sunday after receiving clearance from the health department saying the building was safe for reentry.

A significant amount of product damaged in the crash will have to be replaced, Hollandsworth said. The company is still trying to determine the financial extent of the damages. The building had been remodeled within the last month. This is the first time a vehicle has driven into the building, Hollandsworth said.


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