Man killed on I-696 while retrieving gas grill

Warren — A man was killed Friday morning, police say, after he was struck by a vehicle as he retrieved a gas grill on Interstate 696.

According to a preliminary investigation by Michigan State Police, a pickup traveling west on I-696 near Hoover Road about 9 a.m. lost a gas cooking grill from the truck bed.

The truck's driver, 71, got out to retrieve the grill from the freeway when a passenger vehicle, also traveling west, struck him. The man was later pronounced dead, officials said. The woman who was driving the vehicle that struck the pedestrian was taken to a hospital as a precaution, they said.

The freeway reopened at about 12:30 p.m. Troopers continue to investigate and said the victim's next of kin has not been notified yet.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez