Driver identified in deadly 4th of July crash in Berrien County

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- UPDATE: The driver has been identified as Austin Jay Jones.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Berrien County Sheriff's Office reports on Thursday, July 4, just after midnight, deputies responded to the area of Deans Hill Road near Hochberger Road in Berrien Township, for a single-vehicle crash.

Deputies arrived on scene to find a vehicle was traveling northeast on Deans Hill Road, when it failed to remain on the curved roadway and ran off the road on the right side.

The report states the vehicle then hit a guardrail, went into a ditch, and crashed into several large trees.

The driver was entrapped in the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver was identified as a 29-year-old La Porte man. His identity has not been released as family notification is pending.

Authorities say it is unknown if alcohol or drugs are contributing factors in the crash, currently.

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit is continuing to investigate.