June 8. UPDATED 1 PM. A motorist has died after a single-car accident on the north side of the Diverging Diamond Interchange at West Catawba and I-77. Police Chief Bence Hoyle said the accident had nothing to do with the DDI itself.

Accident investigators were still on the scene at 1 pm.

“The vehicle came off the ramp and went through the intersection and struck the barrier protecting the pedestrians down the center. In fact, the DDI design probably prevented the vehicle from striking others on the opposite side,” the police chief said.

A traffic team was still on scene early this afternoon, at least four hours after the incident, which happened at about 8 am. Traffic was backed up in both directions. No victim information has been released due to notification of next of kin. There were no other occupants in the vehicle and no bystanders involved.

There are very preliminary facts that support a medical event, Chief Hoyle said. “I can say unequivocally that the DDI had nothing to do with the cause,” he said.