(WWJ) Sterling Heights police say a man was killed Friday when the pickup truck he was driving flew off the road and crashed into a house.
Police Lt. Mario Bastianelli said, at around 10 a.m., a Dodge Ram was headed northbound on Hanks Lane, near Mound Road, when it blew through the 19 Mile Rd. intersection.
"He didn't stop at the intersection of 19 Mile, hit the median, went airborne then struck a home across the street, causing severe damage," Bastianelli told WWJ Newsradio 950. "And ultimately the driver was pronounced deceased at the scene."
Bastianelli said the truck was a few feet off the ground when it hit the house.
Luckily, no one inside the home was injured, and there were no passengers in the pickup.
As the investigation continues, Bastianelli said police believe that speed was a factor in the destructive crash.
"Going through all that intersection, then going airborne, you know, and then hitting a home and then coming to a final stop near a tree in the yard... You know, it's quite a distance, especially for a traffic accident," the lieutenant said. "And then along with going airborne, it was pretty apparent to us that the vehicle was going at a high rate of speed."
The man is only being identified as a 48-year-old Sterling Heights resident at this time, until his family can be notified.
