High speed crash kills 1, injures 4 in Port Huron

PORT HURON, Mich. (WJBK) - One person is dead and four are in critical condition following a horrific crash in Port Huron.

The impact was so powerful -  the engine on one vehicle was knocked more than 100 feet away. The crash was caught on cell phone video from the owner of a party store at Dove and 24th Street.

"It was a heavy crash, there was smoke coming out of there," said witness Karim Kenaya. 

Police tell us the driver of a white Camaro was seen driving erratically, and an officer tried to pull the car over, but the Camaro took off reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles an hour and ran a red light. 

"And as the vehicle passed through 24th Street at Dove, it struck an innocent vehicle causing a major crash," said Lt. Roger Wesch, Port Huron police.

The 49-year-old woman behind the wheel of that innocent vehicle died instantly. Surveillance cameras at the Industrial Park Party Store captured the moment after the crash when the engine of one of the vehicles flew from the wreckage.

"The engine was ripped completely off the red Jeep and thrown over 100 yards," said Wesch.

FOX 2 is told there were four people inside the white Camaro. The 35-year-old driver from Port Huron and three others were unconscious when they were taken to the hospital in critical condition. 

As for what caused the driver to try and get away from police in the first place and potential criminal charges that could follow?

"We have to wait for toxicology to come back and look at all the circumstances before we decide on all that," Wesch said.

Another car was caught up in the crash, side-swiped as one of the vehicles ricocheted off it. We are told the driver of those vehicles only had minor injuries.  

Police said they are still in the process of notifying the family of the deceased.