Detroit man dies in high-speed crash into guardrail

A 64-year-old Detroit man died early Friday after taking a freeway exit too fast and slamming head-on into a guardrail, according to Michigan State Police.

The motorist crashed around 3:15 a.m. on the exit ramp from eastbound Interstate 96 to eastbound I-94 in Detroit, officials said. He lost control and hit the end of a metal guardrail, which was forced through the vehicle's engine and out the back window.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The suggested speed for this ramp is 30 miles per hour," Lt. Mike Shaw said in a statement. “Evidence on the scene points to speeds much higher than that. This crash could have been avoided if the suggested speed limit would have been followed."

In photographs released by officials, a red sedan could be seen straddling the curb below a 30 miles per hour speed sign. The metal guardrail pierced through the car's engine and windshield.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy on the driver to determine if alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash, police said. The incident remains under investigation.

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