(WWJ) A stretch of I-696 was shut down in Macomb County Friday, after a pedestrian was killed on the freeway.
According to Michigan State Police, a 71-year-old man was driving a pickup truck on the westbound freeway in Warren when he lost his load, a gas grill, out of the back of the truck.
The man pulled over onto the Hoover Rd. on- ramp and parked, blocking part of the ramp. He then got out of his vehicle and ran down the travel portion I-696, apparently to retrieve the grill, police said.
That's when a woman driving westbound on the freeway struck the man. He was later pronounced dead. His name has not been released.
The woman was taken to local hospital as a precaution, but no other injuries were reported. Police said the investigation is ongoing.
The accident happened shortly before 9 a.m., shutting down the freeway until around 12:30 p.m., with traffic being forced off at Hoover. All lanes have since reopened.
Police remind drivers never to get out of their vehicles on the freeway.
