SOUTHFIELD, MI — A Good Samaritan was killed late Saturday night after stopping to help people involved in a crash on M-10 in Southfield, according to Michigan State Police.
Troopers said the first collision happened near 9 Mile Road at 11:39 p.m. on Oct. 3 and left one vehicle disabled in the two left lanes. Within minutes, a passing motorist pulled onto the shoulder, crossed the freeway and went to help the people affected by that crash.
While the Good Samaritan was assisting, another driver swerved to avoid the disabled vehicle and hit the person helping at the scene. First responders tried life-saving measures, including CPR, but the Good Samaritan was pronounced dead where the crash happened.
How the first crash set up a dangerous scene on M-10
Michigan State Police said the initial wreck blocked part of the freeway in a way that created an immediate hazard for other drivers. The disabled vehicle sat in the two left lanes, forcing traffic to react quickly on the busy roadway.
That kind of setup can leave little room for error, especially on a freeway where vehicles are moving at higher speeds and lane changes happen fast. In this case, troopers said a driver passing through the area swerved to avoid the stranded vehicle, and that maneuver led to the fatal strike.
The crash unfolded in a matter of minutes, with the rescue effort happening almost as soon as the first scene formed. MSP has not released details about the people in the original collision.
Emergency crews tried CPR before pronouncing the victim dead at the scene
Michigan State Police troopers, Southfield police and Southfield Fire/EMS all responded to the freeway crash. Authorities said the teams worked to save the Good Samaritan after the person was hit.
Those efforts included CPR, but first responders were not able to revive the victim. The person was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
Officials did not release the victim’s name, age or gender. They also did not say whether the Good Samaritan was a Southfield resident or how long the person had been on the road before stopping to help.
Driver who hit the Good Samaritan stayed at the scene and cooperated
Authorities said the driver who struck the Good Samaritan remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Michigan State Police also said alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the crash.
That leaves the case in the hands of investigators, who are still piecing together the sequence of events on the freeway. The key question for police appears to be how the second driver responded after the first crash left a vehicle blocking traffic.
No arrests or charges were announced. MSP has not said whether speed, distraction or road conditions played any role in the fatal collision.
M-10 stayed closed until early Sunday morning after the deadly collision
The fatal crash forced a prolonged closure on M-10 overnight. According to police, the freeway remained shut down until about 4:30 a.m. Sunday.
That stretch of closure came after emergency crews worked the scene and investigators examined the lane blockage and the second impact. Traffic in the area would have been affected for several hours while crews cleared the roadway and reopened the freeway.
Police did not list a detour or estimate the number of vehicles affected, but the timing shows the crash disrupted travel through the Southfield corridor well into the early morning hours.
Michigan State Police continue to investigate the deadly freeway crash
Michigan State Police said the investigation remains open. At this stage, officials have released only the basic facts of how the two crashes were connected and how the Good Samaritan was killed while trying to help.
The case highlights the dangers that can unfold when a disabled vehicle remains in traffic lanes on a freeway. It also underscores how quickly an effort to help after a crash can become deadly when another driver has to react to a blocked roadway.
For now, police have not said when they expect to release more information. The identity of the victim remains withheld, and investigators have not announced any further findings.