Multiple highway pileups, whiteout conditions amid bitter cold and community resources West Michigan

A Remus, Mich. man who got caught in Monday's 100-plus car pileup along I-196 is sharing his story with News Channel 3.

Phil Michmerhuizen was on his way to Holland, Mich. to pick up his wife from a family member's house when he hit white out conditions just before the Zeeland, Mich. exit.

He told News Channel 3 he was only going 30 mph on the highway when he and the cars around him hit ice, and everyone started slamming on their brakes.

Moments later, a semi-truck slid past him on the shoulder. That's when Michmerhuizen said he quickly changed lanes to get out of the way.

"When that semi went past me on the right side, and I kept hearing more booms happening behind me, I knew I was still in danger so, I found a hole to slide through and got myself out of the way," Michmerhuizen said.

But that's when a different truck clipped him, sending his minivan flying into the ditch.

The jack-knifed semi-truck was close by, and that's when Michmerhuizen made a decision to run for it.

"I knew I was going to be there for a very long time, and judging by how many cars were there, so I put on a hat and gloves and I ran through a field to a sub-division," he said. "I dropped a pin on Google maps to where i was, and I had my parents pick me up because they lived nearby. I was out there probably 20 minutes after it happened."

Michmerhuizen told News Channel 3 he's thankful nobody died in the pile up.

Read: https://wwmt.com/news/local/i196-100-...

Winter is in full force across West Michigan this week.

Several inches of snow have already fallen across the region and more is on the way Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning.

The highest snow totals will be along and west of U.S. 131 where a Winter Storm Warning is in effect through 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Snow totals will lessen further away from Lake Michigan.

This light and powdery snow combined with gusty winds has already led to whiteout conditions.

Whiteouts will remain possible at times throughout our Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Temperatures are expected to hover in the lower teens and the single digits through Tuesday morning, which will make clearing roads very difficult.

Salt becomes nearly ineffective when temperatures are below 15 degrees.

The combination of 35-40 mph wind gusts and frigid temperatures will result in windchills or "feels like temperatures" between -5 and -15 degrees through Tuesday morning.

Read: https://wwmt.com/news/local/snow-wint...
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