LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – As Michigan State Police investigate the cause of a fatal I-96 crash near Webberville, News 10 is learning more people were injured than initially reported.

4 people died in the terrible accident.

Authorities initially reported that 17 people were injured and taken to hospital. However, health officials confirmed that a total of 23 people were treated after the accident.

All nine people treated at McLaren Greater Lansing were released Monday. UM Health Sparrow said they released 10 of the 14 people receiving treatment. Three are still hospitalized and the fourth, who police say is a semi-truck driver, was transported to UM Health in Ann Arbor.

Before the crash, two troopers were stationed on eastbound and westbound I-96 to warn traffic to slow down ahead of public service work Saturday night, State Police said. Emergency lights were activated and we were told this was about a 15 minute process while DTE set up power lines.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and State Police said this type of work is common, but many details cannot be shared because the investigation is ongoing.

“This was not an MDOT construction project and I cannot speculate on the accident,” said MDOT’s Aaron Jerkins.

“This happens every day, highway slowdowns, backups happen every day. It could be because of construction, it could be a police officer on the side of the road, it could be because the truck driver either wasn’t paying attention or couldn’t stop in time. All of this led to this crash,” said Lt. Rene Gonzalez of the Michigan State Police.

State Police say the process of deploying troopers on highways with emergency lights to alert traffic for such projects will not change.

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