A Livingston County resident was killed Christmas Eve when they crashed their compact SUV in Howell Township.

The Livingston County Sheriff's Office says deputies were dispatched at approximately 9:01 p.m. to N. Burkhart Road, south of Crandall Road for a single vehicle crash. The preliminary investigation revealed that a 23 year old Howell resident was driving northbound on Burkhart in a 2002 Ford Escape when they lost control of the vehicle, left the roadway and struck a tree.

The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene by Livingston County EMS. N. Burkhart Road was closed for approximately three hours during the investigation.The driver was not wearing a seatbelt and speed appears to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation by the Livingston County Sheriff Traffic Safety Division. Deputies were assisted at the scene by personnel from the Howell Area Fire Department and Livingston County EMS. (JK)