A man from Hastings died early Monday in a one-vehicle crash on Hwy. 61 in St. Paul.

Authorities closed the northbound lanes of the highway while they investigated the wreck, which happened about 4:30 a.m. near Lower Afton Road.

The driver and lone occupant of a GMC Sierra went off the roadway into the center median and struck a tree, the State Patrol said.

The driver, 53, was not wearing a seat belt, a patrol crash report said. His name has not been released.

Traffic was diverted off northbound Hwy. 61 onto eastbound Interstate 494 until lanes reopened about 7:20 a.m.