VIDEO: Trucker was going 65 MPH in whiteout conditions, says cop who was hit
A Michigan police officer is lucky to be alive after his cruiser was hit by an out of control semi truck during nasty winter weather last week.
The crash happened last Wednesday on eastbound I-94 near Coloma, Michigan.
Police Officer Warns Truckers To Drive To Conditions
Coloma Township Lieutenant Wes Smigislski had responded to a single car crash around 9:30 a.m. Just as Smigislski was about to exit his cruiser, a semi truck struck the rear driver’s side of the car as it slid on ice. Smigislski said, “I was told he was going 65. He saw the accident and hit his brakes. His trailer wasn’t loaded so he was kind of light so he lost control. He was going too fast for conditions, just like most of the others.”
ICYMI: News: Coloma Twp Police Officer Suffers Minor Injuries In I-94 Crash https://t.co/JjrRyHp9G5 pic.twitter.com/fI7PFrZDQf
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Smigislski was taken to the hospital and treated for whiplash and other minor injuries.
Given the weather conditions, Smigislski says he can’t fathom why the truck driver who hit him was going so fast. He said, “At the time this accident happened you couldn’t see more than 20 to 30 feet in front of you and he’s still doing 65 miles an hour. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Smigislski says that he believes truck drivers should be held accountable for crashes like this: “let’s start drilling these truck drivers a little bit more for their actions.”
Smigislski is also advocating for stiffer penalties for truck drivers who cause crashed that result in injuries. He told local news station WWMT, “If they get 3 months license suspended for injuring an officer or injuring somebody in an accident that is deemed their fault for going too fast, maybe they will think twice.”