Salisbury man killed in crash into tree near Statesville

A 33-year-old man from Salisbury died in a crash that happened Thursday evening on a road to Statesville, North Carolina Highway Patrol told Channel 9.

The crash happened at about 7:15 p.m. on Highway 70 near Triplett Road, which is about six miles east of Statesville.

Highway Patrol says Shaun Michael Pace was driving west when his SUV entered the eastbound lanes, then he ran off the road to the left into a wooded area before colliding into a tree. Authorities say the SUV caught fire after the crash.

MORE: 4 killed in wrong-way crash on I-85 in Cabarrus County, troopers say

Pace died at the scene, Highway Patrol said. Nobody else was involved in the crash.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

(WATCH BELOW: 1 killed in wreck that shutdown I-485 outer in southwest Charlotte)