Journalist Michael Hastings died Tuesday morning after his vehicle struck a tree and burst into flames on Highland Avenue. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office has positively identified journalist Michael Hastings as the man who was killed Tuesday morning when he lost control of his car in the 600 block of N. Highland Avenue and struck a tree, causing his vehicle to burst into flames.

Hastings, 33, is well known for his 2010 report in Rolling Stone magazine that led to the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The victim’s employers at the Rolling Stone and BuzzFeed, an online social media and news website, offered condolences. BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith issued a statement.

“We are shocked and devastated by the news that Michael Hastings is gone. Michael was a great, fearless journalist with an incredible instinct for the story, and a gift for finding ways to make his readers care about anything he covered from wars to politicians,” Smith said. “He wrote stories that would otherwise have gone unwritten, and without him there are great stories that will go untold.”

The collision occurred shortly before 4:30 a.m. just south of Melrose Avenue. The cause and other details are not expected to be available for a couple of days until the investigation is complete. Authorities do not suspect any foul play, according to reports. LAPD spokesman Richard French said it was a solo-vehicle collision with the driver being the only occupant in the car.

Firefighters quickly arrived and extinguished the flames, however the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. He appeared to have been travelling southbound at a high rate of speed, according to authorities. The posted speed limit is 35 mph.

Highland Avenue was closed for hours between Melrose and Rosewood avenues. Debris from the vehicle was scattered across both sides of the median. The vehicle’s engine and transmission were separated from the chassis and landed approximately 100 feet south of the crash site, near Highland Avenue and Clinton Street.

Resident Avery Bell, who lives approximately one-block west of Highland Avenue, said he was awakened by the sound of the collision.

“It was a big bang. Boy it was loud,” Bell said. “It’s disheartening, but not shocking. This kind of thing has happened before.”

Bell said drivers routinely speed on Highland Avenue, particularly late at night and during the early morning, and fatal crashes have occurred on Highland Avenue before. Last Aug. 29, a 25-year-old mother and her 2- and 6-year-old daughters were killed when their vehicle collided head-on with a car that crossed into oncoming traffic in the 800 block of Highland Avenue. LAPD officials vowed to increase traffic enforcement along Highland Avenue following the fatal collision.

Avery said he frequently sees police patrolling on Highland Avenue, but drivers continue to speed through the area.

“I’m not sure there is anything they can do,” he said. “People see that open stretch and just floor it.”

Anyone with information about the collision is asked to contact investigators with the LAPD’s West Traffic Division at (213)473-0234.