Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

A 57-year-old Fenton woman died and five other people were seriously injured early New Year’s Day in a three-vehicle crash on I-96 in Lyon Township, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

The crash happened at 3:09 a.m. Wednesday on westbound I-96, east of the South Hill Road overpass.

According to investigators, the Fenton woman was a backseat passenger in a 2016 Ford Explorer which rear ended a 2025 Chevrolet Trax that was stopped in the second lane of the interstate with only its hazard lights on.

It is not immediately known why the Trax, which was operated
by a 30-year-old Ypsilanti man, was stopped.

After striking the Trax, the Explorer ended up facing east in the westbound lane and was struck head-on by a 2018 Jeep Compass operated by a 75-year-old woman from Leslie.

All occupants of the Ford Explorer were removed from the vehicle before it caught fire after the second crash. They included the driver and his 51-year-old wife who were both listed in serious condition at last check.

The Fenton woman's 82-year-old husband also was in the backseat. He was listed in critical conditional.

The driver of the Jeep Compass also was hospitalized in critical condition.

The driver of the Chevrolet Trax was stable. A blood draw pursuant to a search warrant was completed for the driver. Results are pending.

Alcohol may be a factor in this crash. The incident is being investigated by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit.