Quick Read
- A car crashed through the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) on Friday evening.
- Six people were treated at the scene for injuries.
- The driver was taken into custody by authorities.
- The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. local time on January 23, 2026.
- The cause of the crash remains unknown, and the driver’s identity has not been released.
ROMULUS, Mich. (Azat TV) – A vehicle dramatically crashed through the glass entrance of the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) on Friday evening, January 23, 2026, resulting in six individuals receiving treatment at the scene and the driver being taken into custody. The incident, which occurred around 7:30 p.m. local time, prompted a rapid emergency response and an ongoing investigation into its cause, though airport operations largely continued without significant disruption.
Vehicle Breaches Terminal, Hits Delta Counter
The incident unfolded when a car, for reasons yet unknown, drove directly into the entrance of the McNamara Terminal, smashing through glass doors and coming to a stop inside the building. According to airport officials and witnesses, the vehicle struck a Delta Air Lines ticket counter where employees were working. Video footage from the scene, circulated by a 7 News Detroit employee present at the airport, showed the car positioned deep within the terminal’s check-in area.
Witnesses described hearing a loud noise as the car breached the entrance. One traveler recounted seeing the driver exit the vehicle with hands raised, speaking, though the content of their statements was not immediately clear. The individual was promptly apprehended by authorities, with the Wayne County Airport Authority confirming the driver’s custody shortly after the crash. The identity of the driver has not yet been released to the public.
Emergency Response and Injuries
The immediate aftermath saw a swift and coordinated response from airport police and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel. Ali Khalifa, a traveler present during the incident, lauded the quick reaction, stating, “The response was so quick thank God with the cops and TSA and everybody. That all happened in seconds.” This rapid deployment helped to secure the area and attend to those affected.
Officials from the Wayne County Airport Authority Fire Department confirmed that six people were treated at the scene for injuries. The nature or severity of these injuries was not specified by authorities. Despite the dramatic nature of the crash and the injuries sustained, the prompt emergency intervention appears to have prevented more widespread harm.
Investigation Underway, Travel Continues
The Wayne County Airport Authority Police Department has launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. As of Saturday morning, the cause of the incident remains unknown, and authorities have not indicated any potential motives or factors contributing to the driver’s actions. Information regarding the driver’s identity or any potential charges has also not been made public.
Remarkably, despite the car’s intrusion into a major terminal, airport officials reported that travel inside the McNamara Terminal continued as normal for the remainder of Friday night. This suggests that the impact was localized, and emergency protocols were effective in containing the incident’s operational ramifications, allowing the vast majority of travelers to proceed with their plans.
The swift containment of the incident and minimal disruption to broader airport operations, despite a direct breach of terminal security, underscores the effectiveness of established emergency response protocols at major transportation hubs. While the investigation into the crash’s cause is ongoing, the immediate focus on safety and operational continuity appears to have been successfully managed.