A 71-year-old Palmerton man was killed Tuesday morning when his vehicle traveled down an embankment and struck a tree in Lower Towamensing Township.

State police at Lehighton said the male, whose identity has not been released, was operating his 2013 Ford Explorer westbound on Lower Smith Gap Road at around 10:07 a.m. when the vehicle veered off the left side of the roadway.At that point the vehicle traveled down a small embankment and struck a tree before coming to final rest.The operator was pronounced dead at the scene by deputy coroner Robert Miller.The investigation is continuing.The Aquashicola Fire Company also responded to the scene.No other details were available in time for today's publication.