A 24-year-old Dexter man is dead after his car left eastbound I-96 near US-23 in Brighton Township early Saturday morning and flipped into a ditch, according to Michigan State Police. Troopers who responded found a Ford Focus hatchback overturned off the roadway, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The crash happened on eastbound I-96 near US-23 in Brighton Township, according to mlive.com. Michigan State Police troopers were sent to the scene after the Ford Focus, which had been traveling eastbound on I-96, left the roadway and entered a ditch, per CBS News. The Dexter man died at the scene.
iPhone Alert Preceded Troopers' Arrival
Before troopers reached the crash, Livingston County Dispatch had already received a crash notification from an iPhone, the mlive.com report notes. That alert came in around 3:15 a.m. Saturday, ahead of the emergency response to the overturned vehicle.
Police said it remains unclear why the vehicle left the roadway in the first place, the same report states. Michigan State Police have not detailed what, if any, additional evidence investigators have gathered about the moments before the crash.
Alcohol Suspected, Investigation Continues
Officials believe alcohol contributed to the crash, CBS News reports, though the investigation into the incident is ongoing, the outlet notes. No further details on toxicology findings or charges have been released.
Fatal crashes involving alcohol are not uncommon across Michigan. A Michigan State Police fact sheet found that of 1,021 fatal crashes statewide, 272 — or 26.6 percent — were alcohol-involved, with at least one drinking operator, bicyclist, or other road user factoring into the crash.
Michigan State Police have asked anyone with information about the crash to contact Trooper Douglas Ryan at 810-227-1051. The investigation into what caused the Ford Focus to leave the roadway remains active.
