Body cam captures driver slamming into Comstock fire truck attending to separate crash
-----
A woman was injured Monday when she crashed into a fire truck that was blocking a portion of the highway due to a previous crash.
The incident happened around 5:30 a.m. on westbound I-94. A pickup truck had left the road and hit a power pole, and a Comstock fire truck was blocking an outside lane to attend to the crash.
Another westbound vehicle was unable to stop and crashed into the fire truck, deputies say. Body-worn camera that was released later on Monday captures the moment the crash happened.
The driver, a 29-year-old Battle Creek woman, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Both the fire truck and the woman's vehicle had "significant damage."
Kevin Thompson, assistant chief with the Comstock Fire Department, said speed and road conditions may have contributed to the crash.
"The highway conditions were—it was black ice," he said. "Complete black ice."
Thompson reiterated that drivers in Michigan are required by law to move over when emergency vehicles or tow trucks are seen along the road, if it is possible to do so.
He said during conditions like this, cautious driving is essential to prevent these accidents.
"Take your time. Leave early. Be mindful of other drivers. And just go slow," he said.
This isn't the first time the Comstock Fire Department has been impacted by a crash like this. In December, the department had an incident where a passing box truck lost control and hit two of their fire engines.
"My number one concern is my employees and their condition. It's frustrating when I have to worry about other things besides the emergency they're taking care of," Thompson said of the recent crashes.
The crew involved in Monday's crash is a little shaken up but doing well, according to Thompson.
While the department is still fully-operational, they are currently down three fire engines. The one from Monday's crash is now getting assessed at the repair shop to determine if it can keep being used.