The accident occurred around 11:42 p.m., shortly after state police reopened the westbound lanes of the highway due to a power line installation near the M-52 overpass, according to the MSP. The highway had been closed earlier in the evening so Consumers Energy crews could install power lines across it.

“Troopers had just closed westbound I-96 at M-52 at the overpass and had just reopened the freeway,” MSP said in a social media post. “At that time, numerous vehicles were stopped on the highway. A tractor-trailer was heading west on the highway and approaching stopped traffic. “It appears that the truck driver did not see the backup and was unable to stop his vehicle in time.”