LOWELL TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Michigan State Police say eight people, including four children, were hospitalized after a rollover crash on I-96 in Lowell Township.
Police say the single vehicle was heading westbound on I-96 near Morse Lake Road just before 2 a.m. when it abruptly drove into the median and and rolled into the eastbound lanes.
Five of the eight passengers were ejected from the vehicle.
Four adult passengers, including the 38-year-old driver, were taken to Spectrum Butterworth Hospital for treatment and the four children were taken to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Police say most of the injuries were cuts and bruises.
The eight people in the vehicle were all from the Muskegon area and were traveling from Detroit to Muskegon. Their names are not being released at this time pending family notification.
MSP believes a defective car part may have caused the crash, although they are still investigating.
Police say several of the passengers in the vehicle were not wearing seat belts. It’s unclear what type of van it was and if it had enough seat belts for everyone. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash.
Eastbound I-96 was shut down between Snow Avenue and Morse Lake Road SE for more than three hours before reopening around 5:30 a.m.