ENGINES THIS YEAR. A DECADES LONG TRADITION TAKES OVER THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN DETROIT ONCE
AGAIN.
>> IN THE STORY REMAINS THE SAME
MAN AN AND MACHINE VERSUS TIME.
PUSHING THE LIMITS OF POSSIBLE
ABILITY UNTIL THE TRACK PUSHES
BACK. THAT’S WHAT INDY IS ALL
ABOUT. WE’RE CRANKING UP THE
HEAT ON AND OFF THE COURSE LIVE
FROM THE FINISH LINE. THIS IS
LOCAL 4 NEWS AT FIVE FROM THE
DETROIT GRAND PRIX. AND HERE’S
SKY FOUR GIVING US A LIVE BIRD’S
EYE VIEW OF THE NEW DETROIT
GRAND PRIX TRACK. RETURNING TO
THE CITY STREETS AFTER THREE
DECADES ON BELLE ISLE. AND IT IS
AN EXCITING THING HERE TO SEE IT
BACK. WE’VE WATCHED THIS TRACK
TAKE SHAPE AND NOW IT’S COMING
TO LIFE WITH THE ROAR OF THE
ENGINES. GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH
US. WITH THE REBORN DETROIT
GRAND PRIX. I’M DEVIN SCILLIAN.
>> AND I’M KIMBERLY GILL. THANKS
FOR BEING WITH US, EVERYBODY. WE
HAVEN’T HAD A RACE THIS BIG ON
DETROIT CITY STREETS SINCE THE
VERY EARLY 90S. AND JUST LET ME
TELL YOU, WHEN I IT SCARED ME
HOW CLOSE THEY GET TO THE FENCE
HERE. WHEN I, I MEAN, I’VE BEEN
TO THE ONES ON BELLE ISLE A FEW
TIMES. YES. THIS IS DIFFERENT.
>> I WISH WE HAD VIDEO OF WHEN
WE FIRST ARRIVED THIS AFTERNOON
AND THAT FIRST CAR CAME AROUND
THE TURN. AND YOU JUMPED.
>> I JUST JUMPED. I WAS I
THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE A
FRONT ROW SEAT TO AN ACCIDENT
AND DEBRIS WAS JUST GOING TO BE
FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE. BUT
IT IS AMAZING HOW CLOSE YOU GET
AND JUST HOW FAST THEY ARE.
>> WE CAN FEEL THE VIBRATIONS,
TOO CRAZY.
>> RIGHT HERE IS THE PRACTICE
RUNS ARE GOING BEHIND US.
>> THAT’S RIGHT. SO THE ROUTE
ITSELF TAKING DRIVERS 1.7 MILES
AND FEATURING SOME PRETTY TIGHT
TURNS, AS I JUST MENTIONED, WITH
THE RENAISSANCE CENTER AS ITS
CENTERPIECE.
>> YEAH.
>> OUR GREAT ART DEPARTMENT
CREATED THIS ANIMATION, TAKING
YOU THROUGH ALL NINE TURNS OF
THE CIRCUIT ALONG JEFFERSON
AVENUE, ALONG THE RIVERFRONT,
AND THEN CROSSING THE FINISH
LINE ON RIVARD. AND OF COURSE,
THEY’RE GOING TO HIT SPEEDS ON
THAT ROUTE OF UP TO 200 MILES AN
HOUR. YEAH, IT’S INSANE. AND
THEN SUDDENLY SLAMMING ON A 90
DEGREE TURN. LET’S GET OUT TO
BERNIE SMILOVITZ WITH A LOOK AT
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THIS HIGH
OCTANE WEEKEND.
>> HI THERE, BERNIE. KIMBERLY
DEVIN, COULD YOU ASK THOSE CARS
TO PULL OVER?
>> BECAUSE I CAN’T HEAR A THING
YOU’RE SAYING. BUT ANYWAY, WHAT
A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING. MOVING
THIS THING FROM BELLE ISLE TO
THE STREETS OF DETROIT. BUT THEY
ARE HERE. THE GRAND PRIX WEEKEND
HAS ARRIVED. WE’VE GOT
HIGHLIGHTS. AND THE DRIVERS GOT
OUT TODAY ONTO THE COURSE WITH
THEIR CARS. AND YOU HAVE TO
REMEMBER, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
THEY’VE ACTUALLY GOT A FEEL OF
THE SURFACE. FIRST TIME THEY
HAVE TRIED IT OUT. SCOTT DIXON
WON THIS EVENT IN 2018. HE
SOUNDS LIKE A GUY THAT’S VERY
HAPPY TO HAVE MADE THE MOVE TO
THE CITY.
>> HAVING THE LOCATION OF WHERE
IT IS, ESPECIALLY AROUND GM
CENTER AND YOU KNOW, IT IS THE
IT IS MOTOR CITY. SO IT’S PRETTY
YOU KNOW, GREAT TO SEE THEM
INCORPORATE THAT. AND PLUS, I
THINK HAVING, YOU KNOW, ALL THE
LOCAL AREAS DOWNTOWN THAT
PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT
ENTERTAINMENT AS WELL, I THINK
IS GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, VERY,
VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT.
>> THAT’S SCOTT DIXON. WE’LL
HAVE MUCH, MUCH MORE ON THE
GRAND PRIX. WE’RE GOING TO HEAD
OVER TO JAMIE EDMONDS, WHO’S
TAKING IT ALL IN, INCLUDING THE
FANS EXPERIENCE OF THIS EVENT.
GOOD EVENING, JAMIE.
>> GOOD EVENING TO YOU, BERNIE.
I’M WITH KIMBERLY. IT IS SO
LOUD. THE FANS AND MEDIA PEOPLE
ALIKE ARE VERY CLOSE TO THIS
RACE. THE FANS LIKE I SAID, ARE
AS WELL, AND THEY’RE GIVING US
POSITIVE REVIEWS ON DAY ONE.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR RACING
THE VISION OF BRINGING THE GRAND
PRIX BACK TO THE STREETS OF
DOWNTOWN NOW A REALITY. THE FANS
WHO CAME FOR FREE PRIX DAY SEEM
TO BE LOVING THE CHANGE.
>> IT’S REALLY COOL. I THINK
IT’S A LOT BETTER THAN BELOW.
IT’S REALLY COOL, LIKE IT’S JUST
YOU HAVE MORE SPACE, WHICH IS
WHAT I LIKE THE MOST AND THEN
IT’S LIKE YOU KNOW, ALL THE
RESTAURANTS AND THINGS LIKE
THAT. SO IT’S PRETTY COOL. THE
CATS FAMILY FROM WEST BLOOMFIELD
EASILY NAVIGATED THEIR WAY
DOWNTOWN.
>> WE PARKED UP NEAR LITTLE
CAESARS ARENA AND TOOK THE QUEUE
LINE DOWN.
>> WOODWARD MADE OUR WAY INTO
THE PLAZA AND INSIDE THE
FACILITY SO EASY, VERY EASY.
>> MIKE HOWELL BROUGHT HIS SON
TREY TODAY. THEY TOO DIDN’T RUN
INTO ANY HICCUPS.
>> WE’VE STARTED TO FIGURE OUT
THE PARKING THAT WAS PRETTY. WE
FIGURED THAT OUT EASILY. AND
THEN NOW WE’RE HEADED OVER TO
FIND OUR SEATS AND. YEAH IT
ACTUALLY HAS BEEN PRETTY EASY. I
THINK IT’S MIGHT EVEN BE EASIER
THAN ISLE WAS.
>> THE WHOLE SETUP IS PRETTY
DARN COOL. THE RACETRACK CIRCLES
THE GM RENAISSANCE CENTER WITH A
BRAND NEW DUEL PIT LANE. UNIQUE
TO THIS RACE. THE PADDOCK IS
NEAR THE RIVERWALK AND THE
WINNER’S CIRCLE, AND THERE ARE
PLENTY OF SEATS UP CLOSE AND
PERSONAL TO THE ACTION PIT,
PERFECT FOR THE BIGGEST RACE
FANS AND THE LITTLEST HE WANTS
TO SEE FERRARIS AND LAMBORGHINIS
.
>> SO, YEAH, EXACTLY. WHAT DO
YOU THINK, TREY? ARE YOU
EXCITED? YEAH
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT’S THE
COOLEST THING SO FAR?
>> THE RACE CARS. AND LITTLE
TREY WAS GETTING UP CLOSE AND
PERSONAL WITH THE RACE CARS.
>> LIKE I SAID. SO ARE WE. THAT
DUEL PADDOCK JUST BEHIND ME. I
ASKED THE DRIVERS, HOW ARE THEY
GOING TO KNOW WHO’S GOING TO
PULL OUT AND WHEN THEY SAID, WE
WON’T. AND THAT’LL MAKE IT
INTERESTING. WE’RE LIVE NEXT TO
THE RACE COURSE. JAMIE EDMONDS,
LOCAL 4. WELL THAT EXPLAINS IT.
>> WE WATCHED A COUPLE OF CLOSE
CALLS DOWN THERE EARLIER AND
THOUGHT, WELL, SURELY THEY KNOW
KNOW. THEY DON’T. THEY DON’T
KNOW. THAT’S PART OF THE THAT’S
PART OF THE CRAZINESS ABOUT IT
ALL RIGHT. GREAT STUFF, JAMIE.
WE’LL GET BACK TO HER IN JUST A
BIT. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS ALL
RATHER WEATHER RELIANT.
>> OH, AND THE WEATHER OUT HERE.
YOU COULDN’T BEAT IT WITH A
STICK. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO
EXPECT THE FIRST WEEK OF JUNE OR
SO. BUT, MAN, IT’S GORGEOUS OUT
HERE. LET’S GET TO KIM ADAMS IN
OUR FORECAST. KIM
>> IT IS. BUT I’M WONDERING IF
DEVIN WOULD LIKE ME TO MAYBE
BRING HIM A POLO SHIRT OR
SOMETHING. LIKE IT JUST LOOKS SO
HOT OUT THERE. AND IT DID HIT 90
DOWNTOWN DETROIT TODAY, THE
FIRST TIME WE’VE HIT 90 SINCE
LAST AUGUST. THE GRAND PRIX
LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE A TALE OF
TWO DIFFERENT DAYS SATURDAY FOR
THE QUALIFIER AS IT WILL BE HOT
ONCE AGAIN. MUCH LIKE IT WAS
TODAY. BUT THEN ON SUNDAY FOR
THE ACTUAL RACE, NOT AS HOT WITH
HIGHS ONLY IN THE LOW 80S.
STILL, I MEAN WARM, BUT
DEFINITELY NOT AS WARM AS IT HAS
BEEN TODAY AND AGAIN TOMORROW. I
WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT SOME
GRAND PRIX HISTORY. IT HAS
RAINED IN SEVEN OF THE LAST TEN
YEARS, NOT MUCH, JUST A TRACE.
LAST YEAR AND A TRACE THE YEAR
BEFORE. BUT THERE WAS SOME RAIN.
THE COLDEST GRAND PRIX WAS 54.
THAT WAS BACK IN 2015 AND THE
WARMEST AT 87 BACK IN 2000. 17.
NOW WE WON’T BE QUITE THAT WARM
FOR THE ACTUAL RACE ON SUNDAY,
BUT DEFINITELY TEMPERATURES HAVE
BEEN IN THE 80S AND EVEN 90 FOR
THE QUALIFIERS, 83 DEGREES AT
NOON TOMORROW WILL REACH A HIGH
OF 87. AND THEN WE DO COOL DOWN
JUST A LITTLE BIT FOR SUNDAY AND
MONDAY BEFORE WE REALLY GET BACK
TO NORMAL BY TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY
AND THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK. GOT A
LITTLE SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE
GULF OF MEXICO. TROPICAL STORM
ARLENE. WE’LL TALK ABOUT THAT
COMING UP. OKAY
>> THANK YOU, KIM. AND THERE’S A
NICE LITTLE BREEZE HERE. I’M
VERY COMFORTABLE.
>> YOU KNOW, I LOVE HOT WEATHER.
IF YOU’RE NOT A LIZARD LIKE ME,
THOUGH, KEEP IN MIND, AS YOU’RE
COMING DOWN, IT’LL FEEL WARMER
THAN THE AIR TEMPERATURE AROUND
BECAUSE OF THE PAVEMENT AND THE
HOT TRACK. YEAH, WE’VE GOT SO
MUCH MORE TO COME HERE ON THE
GRAND PRIX AT FIVE AND SIX, BUT
IT DOESN’T END THERE. WE WANT TO
INVITE YOU TO BE WITH US FOR OUR
SPECIAL COVERAGE, GRAND PREMIERE
STARTING TONIGHT AT 630. THAT’S
RIGHT, BERNIE.
>> JAMIE AND KRISTY MCDONALD
WILL BE LIVE ON LOCAL 4. PLUS
YOU’LL HEAR FROM PLENTY OF
DRIVERS, INCLUDING THE WINNER OF
LAST WEEK’S INDY 500. AND IF YOU
HAVEN’T DOWNLOADED OUR LOCAL 4
PLUS APP, YOU CAN FIND IT IN THE
SAME PLACE. YOU FIND APPS LIKE
NETFLIX OR DISNEY PLUS WHATEVER
YOUR FAVORITE APPS ARE. JUST
SEARCH WDIV. ALL RIGHT. IN OTHER
NEWS TONIGHT HERE AT 5:00, A
DEADLY ACCIDENT INVOLVING A BUS
ONLY ABOUT A HALF BLOCK AWAY
FROM WHERE WE ARE HERE AT THE
GRAND PRIX. EXACTLY. A WOMAN WAS
RUN OVER WHILE TRYING TO CROSS
THE STREET.
>> SHAWN LEY LIVE WITH THE
QUESTIONS THAT INVESTIGATORS ARE
TRYING TO ANSWER RIGHT NOW.
SHAWN LEY LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
>> DEVIN AND KIMBERLY, I CAN
SHOW EVERYONE EXACTLY WHERE THIS
HAPPENED. RIGHT HERE IN THE
MIDDLE OF DOWNTOWN. THAT
CROSSWALK LIKE YOU SEE RIGHT
BEHIND ME, THE WOMAN, SHE WAS ON
A WALKER. SHE WAS IN THE
CROSSWALK. SO THE QUESTION
TONIGHT IS, WHY DIDN’T THE
DRIVER WHO WAS MAKING A TURN SEE
HER IN THE CROSSWALK?
>> THE BUS DRIVER IS
TRAUMATIZED. I MEAN,
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WAS AN
UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT RIGHT DOWN
HERE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, JUST
A VERY TRAGIC SITUATION. NOBODY
EXPECTED IT.
>> A DRIVER WITH 26 YEARS BEHIND
A BUS WHEEL IS OFF THE JOB
TONIGHT AND UNDER INVESTIGATION
.
>> AN ELDERLY FEMALE HIT BY A
BUS.
>> THE QUESTION, HOW DID SHE NOT
SEE A WOMAN WITH A WALKER IN
THIS CROSSWALK IN DOWNTOWN
DETROIT? THE WOMAN TOOK A DIRECT
HIT FROM THE BUS. THE BUS RAN
OVER HER. SHE DID NOT SURVIVE,
APPARENTLY, WE HAVE SOMEBODY
WHO’S FATALLY INJURED.
>> SO SOMEBODY DIDN’T SEE
SOMEONE. IT HAPPENED AS THE BUS
WAS ON CONGRESS TURNING LEFT
ONTO GRISWOLD AT 730 THIS
MORNING FROM THAT VIEW IS THE
GRAND PRIX GRAND STAND.
>> WAS THE DRIVER DISTRACTED?
DID SHE RUN A RED LIGHT? WHAT
WENT WRONG? THE DRIVER UNDERWENT
DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING,
SECURITY CAMERAS WILL LIKELY
HAVE MANY OF THESE ANSWERS.
>> WE HAVE OUR FATAL SQUAD
INVESTIGATORS ON THE SCENE. WE
WILL BE PULLING ALL THE CAMERA
ASSETS FROM THE VARIOUS
BUILDINGS AND BUSINESSES AROUND
HERE TO MAKE A FINAL
DETERMINATION AS TO WHAT
HAPPENED IN JUST A HEARTBREAKING
SITUATION HERE WITH THE WOMAN IN
THE CROSSWALK ON HER WALKER
GETTING RUN OVER.
>> JUST AWFUL, GUYS. BUT LISTEN,
THE CITY OF DETROIT TONIGHT IS
PUTTING OUT A STATEMENT OFFERING
CONDOLENCES, HIS FULL
CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF THE
LIFE THAT WAS LOST HERE. AND AT
THE SAME TIME, THEY’RE LAUNCHING
AN INTERNAL REVIEW OF PRACTICES
TO MAKE SURE WHAT HAPPENED
DOESN’T HAPPEN AGAIN. BACK TO
YOU.
>> WELL, YOU’RE RIGHT. THAT’S
JUST JUST TERRIBLE. ALL RIGHT,
SEAN.
>> WELL, THE WOMAN IN THE BACK
OF AN UBER BECAME THE VICTIM OF
A FREEWAY SHOOTING THIS MORNING.
IT HAPPENED ON I-94 NEAR
LIVERNOIS IN DETROIT.
>> THE UBER DRIVER, IN FACT, IS
THE ONE WHO CALLED 911. LET’S
BRING IN PRIYA MANN. PRIYA, I
UNDERSTAND TROOPERS BASICALLY
HELPED SAVE THIS WOMAN’S LIFE.
>> YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. DEVIN.
KIMBERLY, GOOD EVENING. A
TROOPER APPLIED A TOURNIQUET TO
THE WOMAN’S LEG, POTENTIALLY
SAVING HER LIFE. SHE WAS RUSHED
TO THE HOSPITAL. POLICE HAVEN’T
BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO HER YET AS
THEY TRY TO DETERMINE THE MOTIVE
AND WHO PULLED THE TRIGGER. IT’S
VERY SCARY.
>> IT’S TO THE POINT I DON’T
EVEN LIKE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY
IF I CAN AVOID IT, EVEN THOUGH
IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE. BUT I
TRIED TO AVOID THE FREEWAY IF
NECESSARY.
>> A DETROIT WOMAN IN THE BACK
OF AN UBER WAS SHOT SEVERAL
TIMES EARLY FRIDAY MORNING ON
I-94 AND LIVERNOIS.
>> YOU HAVE TO GET TO WHERE YOU
NEED TO GO AND YOU HAVE TO BE
CONCERNED AS TO IF YOU ARE GOING
TO GET THERE SAFELY OR NOT. IT’S
VERY UNSETTLING.
>> MSP SAY THE 34 YEAR OLD WOMAN
PICKED UP AN UBER FROM HER HOME
IN DETROIT AROUND SIX IN THE
MORNING WHEN THEY WERE ON THE
FREEWAY. POLICE SAY A DARK SEDAN
PULLED UP AND SOMEONE STARTED
SHOOTING AT THE PASSENGER SIDE
OF THE VEHICLE. WE GOT TO FIGURE
OUT, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT’S
RELATED TO THIS WOMAN?
>> IS IT SOMETHING RELATED TO
THIS DRIVER HERE? WE DON’T HAVE
ANY INDICATIONS OF ROAD RAGE OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO IT’S
SOMETHING BETWEEN THE SUSPECT
AND THIS CAR. MSP SAY THEY’RE
TAKING AN AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TO
STOPPING GUN VIOLENCE ON AREA
FREEWAYS. WE ESTABLISHED OUR
FREEWAY INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT
TEAM THAT’S OUT THERE ACTUALLY
WORKING ON THIS. WE PUT LICENSE
PLATE READERS ON A LOT OF NEW
AREAS. YOU KNOW, WE’RE SHARING
THAT INFORMATION WITH OUR
PARTNERS. DETROIT’S AWESOME WITH
THEIR GREEN LIGHT CAMERA SYSTEM.
SO WE’RE ABLE TO SOLVE A GREAT
MAJORITY.
>> ALL LANES OF WESTBOUND I-94
AT LIVERNOIS WERE SHUT DOWN THIS
MORNING AS POLICE COLLECTED
SHELL CASINGS AND EVIDENCE.
>> THE FREEWAY AIN’T THE PLACE,
RIGHT. THE FREEWAY IS NOT THE
PLACE THAT YOU WANT TO COMMIT
THESE CRIMES BECAUSE YOU’RE
GOING TO GET CAUGHT AND THEY CAN
ONLY DO WHAT THEY CAN DO.
>> I’M HOPEFULLY THEY’RE DOING
THE BEST JOB THAT THEY CAN DO TO
GET THIS PERSON OFF THE STREET.
NOW THAT UBER DRIVER WAS NOT
INJURED, HE IS COOPERATING WITH
POLICE THROUGH THE USE OF A
TRANSLATOR.
>> ALL MICHIGAN STATE POLICE
HAVE TO GO ON RIGHT NOW IS THAT
THEY’RE LOOKING FOR A DARK
SEDAN. THEY ARE ACTIVELY
REVIEWING CAMERA FOOTAGE TO GET
A READ ON THAT LICENSE PLATE.
ANYONE WITH INFORMATION IS ASKED
TO CALL POLICE. REPORTING LIVE
TONIGHT, I’M PRIYA MANN, LOCAL
4.
>> YEAH, OKAY, PRIYA, THANKS.
>> WELL, IT WAS A CLOSE CALL FOR
A DETROIT TREASURE.
>> SURE WAS. SECURITY CAMERAS
CATCH TAGGERS IN THE ACT,
SCOOTING AROUND WITH SPRAY
PAINT. WHAT THEY MISSED THAT.
THE BUILDING OWNER IS SO
GRATEFUL FOR NOW, ROD, AREN’T
THESE FRESH, NEWLY PLANTED
FLOWERS BEAUTIFUL?
>> WE WANTED TO HELP THE
ENVIRONMENT OUT. AND SO WE WANT
TO DO OUR PART AS MUCH AS WE
CAN.
>> BUT IN 92 DEGREE HEAT, THESE
WILL WILT PRETTY QUICKLY. THEY
NEED WATER FOR ONE LOCAL
COMMUNITY WANTS TO HELP YOU
WATER YOUR PLANTS AND FLOWERS