Man Killed Retrieving Gas Grill From Detroit-Area Highway: MSP

DETROIT, MI — A 71-year-old man died Friday morning when he was hit by a vehicle while trying to retrieve a gas grill that had fallen from the back of his pickup truck while driving on a Detroit-area highway, Michigan State Police said.

According to MSP, troopers responded to westbound I-696 at Hoover around 8:55 a.m. following the report of a crash. Police said a 71-year-old man was driving his pickup truck westbound on I-696 when the gas grill he was carrying in the back of his truck fell out of the bed of the truck and onto the highway.

Police said the man pulled his vehicle into the Hoover on-ramp, blocking part of the ramp. The man got out of his vehicle to retrieve the grill when he was hit by a westbound vehicle, police said.

The man was later pronounced dead, police said. His identity has not been released.

The drive of the vehicle that hit the man was transported to a local hospital as a precaution, police said. The investigation is ongoing.