I-96 Shut Down For A Half-Naked Woman Wielding A Machete

Detroit Police had to shut down I-96 on Saturday, Feb. 25 near Grand River because of a woman wielding a machete. Detroit Police Chief James White gave an update about the situation on Tuesday afternoon on the department’s Facebook page. White said the woman was experiencing a mental health crisis.

"We had a female who was traveling on the freeway, she decided to pull her vehicle over, she exited her vehicle on the freeway, disrobed, and had a machete in her hand," White said at the news conference. "The officers, once again with the assistance of the Michigan State Police who shut down the freeway for us, created a safe environment for her to go through her episode."

The video of the incident was played during the conference and blurred the naked woman. The police chief mentioned that the woman eventually dropped the machete and was detained by officers. She was then taken to Henry Ford Hospital for evaluation.

Police did not confirm the woman’s diagnosis due to HIPPA. Mental health incidents are on the rise, according to the Chief White. He noted that police have responded to roughly 2,000 mental health crisis calls since the beginning of 2023.

Resources are available to help. The Michigan Stay Well Counseling Line is available 24/7 by calling 1-888-535-6736 and pressing “8.” It is confidential and available at no cost.