A violent crash Thursday afternoon on Pelham Road near Wick Road left one person dead and caused a temporary power outage in the Allen Park area, authorities said.
According to Allen Park Police, the crash occurred when a silver truck crossed multiple lanes of oncoming traffic and slammed into a DTE generator trailer parked along the roadway. The impact was so severe that it knocked out power in the surrounding neighborhood for a short time.
“It was loud. It was a big boom,” said one witness. “I really thought maybe the trailer would go up in flames.” The witness, who asked not to be identified, said he heard two crashes and saw the silver truck strike the DTE equipment. “It appeared like the silver truck was trying to avoid a silver car and a black car. He was going fast.”
DTE Energy later confirmed the fatality and said their crews were on-site quickly to restore power to affected customers. In a statement, the company expressed condolences:
“DTE Energy was notified this afternoon that a car, after crossing two lanes of oncoming traffic, crashed into a barrier surrounding a staged DTE generator in Allen Park. Tragically, we have learned that the driver passed away, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Pelham Road was shut down between Wick and Goddard for several hours as police investigated the scene and utility crews worked to restore power. The roadway has since been reopened.
The identity of the deceased driver has not yet been released. The investigation into what led to the crash remains ongoing.
