Early this morning, a catastrophic collision claimed the life of one individual on the Lodge Freeway in Detroit, following a wrong-way incident involving two vehicles. Sources report that around 4:30 a.m., a Jeep traveling northbound in the southbound lanes collided head-on with an SUV near Grand River Avenue. The crash resulted in the SUV catching fire, according to CBS News Detroit.

The response to the tragedy was quick but, the intensity of the fire barricaded attempts by Michigan State Police troopers to rescue the driver trapped in the SUV, culminating in their death at the scene. Michigan State Police has confirmed that the Jeep's driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued from her vehicle and is now struggling to survive in critical condition at a local hospital. As reported by FOX 2 Detroit, it is currently unknown if the woman was under the influence at the time of the accident.

The identity of the fatally injured driver continues to remain a mystery while the investigation into the crash moves forward. “The crash reconstructionist is on scene investigating the crash. We are attempting to determine where the wrong way driver entered the roadway and where she was coming from," MSP 1st Lt. Mike Shaw stated, as per CBS News Detroit. No passengers were in either of the cars involved in the incident, eliminating the possibility of further casualties.

Michigan State Police and other emergency services continue to meticulously investigate to not only establish the events that led to the incident but also to ensure a thorough examination of the crash site. Details provided by ClickOnDetroit include that Detroit firefighters were dispatched and succeeded in extinguishing the flames of the SUV. Yet, the devastating outcome of this accident remains a sobering reminder of the potentially lethal consequences that can erupt from a moment of errant driving on the highways that vein across the heart of Detroit.