Wintry Weather To Blame For Multi-Car Pileup In Paw Paw

PAW PAW, Mich. (WWJ) - One after another - like domino pieces crashing onto the next - cars slammed into the car in front along a Michigan highway Tuesday night in Paw Paw, Michigan.

Heavy, fast falling snow turned highways into slip 'n slides reports Rachael Glaser.

"And once one goes off," said a Michigan State Police patrolman, "then people start hitting the breaks - we have several accidents. One person or people are slowing down and looking at the accident rather than in front of them."

In a matter of minutes - drivers continued to slam into the vehicles ahead - nearly doubling the size of the pileup.

"We try to spread out in the backup of the traffic to make sure there aren't any more accidents or people stuck."

When it snows like this, the Michigan State Police hometown security team is on weather watch - 14 patrol officers spread out around southwest Michigan to keep and eye on road conditions -- looking at what areas are dangerous and when said the patrolman.

"When they're not locking up their brakes -- causing another accident."

As if to emphasize the point -- seconds after the interview police were called to another crash in the traffic jam behind the pileup.

Weather officials are cautioning motorists to drive carefully with heavy snow fall and reduced visibility expected in parts of Michigan tomorrow.

For the latest from the roads, stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 during Traffic and Weather on the 8s, 24-hours a day. Get more now on our real-time Traffic Page.