Police Complete Investigation Into 53-Vehicle I-96 Pileup That Killed 3

FOWLERVILLE, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - Police have completed their investigation into a 53-vehicle pileup on snow-covered I-96 near Fowlerville that left three people dead in December.

Livingston County Sheriff Michael Murphy told the Livingston Daily Press & Argus on Tuesday his office isn't seeking charges on anyone, leaving that decision up to prosecutors. He says, "There's a lot to that investigation."

Investigators said in January a driver traveling too fast for the icy conditions caused the pileup and that they anticipated seeking a charge of reckless driving or moving violation causing death against that driver.

One driver calling WWJ Newsradio 950 said there were white-out conditions at the time, with speeds only around 25 miles an hour due to ice and low visibility

The Dec. 8 pileup — in the area of Fowlerville Road, about 55 miles west of Detroit — had the westbound lanes of the freeway shut down from M-59 to M-52 for nearly 13 hours.

Killed were 69-year-old Homer Leon Tew of Ann Arbor; his wife, 62-year-old Theresa O'Connor Tew; and 28-year-old semitrailer driver Vitalii Stelmakh of Hollywood, Florida. In addition, 11 people suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Officials said multiple semi trucks were involved, with cars crushed between them. Rescue crews struggled to reach both victims and survivors, several of whom had to be extradited from their vehicles.