(HOWARD TOWNSHIP) – A Dowagiac man is dead following a motorcycle crash in Cass County’s Howard Township.

Michigan State Police were call to M-51 near Maple Lane around 2 AM Monday after receiving a crash alert. When they arrived, troopers found evidence of a motorcycle crash. After a brief search, the motorcycle and its lone rider were located.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the rider was traveling north on M-51 towards Dowagiac when he veered off the roadway, lost control and hit an embankment. The driver was thrown off the motorcycle.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. He was later identified as a 43 year old Dowagiac man. It didn’t appear he was wearing a helmet. It’s not known if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, which is still under investigation.