By Times Staff
MANCHESTER — A 24-year-old local man died early this morning when his 2004 Audi crashed over a guardrail on Route 128 northbound and slammed into trees in the median.
The man, whose name has not yet been released, was ejected from the vehicle upon impact and pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. His name is still being withheld pending notification of his family, and police said this afternoon that his closest family members are out of the country.
State police indicated that speed appears to have been a factor in the crash, but that it will be "a couple of days" before they can determine whether alcohol was involved. The crash remains under investigation, authorities said.
State police responded at 2:47 a.m. to the one-vehicle accident on the northbound side of Route 128, north of Exit 17 (Grapevine Road) in Wenham.
The crash is under investigation by Trooper Michael Sargent, with the assistance of the State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section State Police Crime Scene Services Section and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Gloucester, Beverly and Wenham Police, along with Wenham firefighters and the Department of Transportation Highway Division all assisted State Police troopers at the scene.
Route 128 northbound was closed because to the investigation and vehicle removal. Highway crews this morning were repairing the guardrail, but the road had been reopened as of 6 a.m.
We will update this story here at gloucestertimes.com as more information becomes available.
