ELIZABETHTON — One man was killed early Tuesday morning and another man suffered serious injuries when a car crashed into a sign pole at Milligan Grocery at the intersection of the Milligan Highway and Okolona Road.

The Elizabethton Police Department said the passenger, Tanner Perkins, 20, Elizabethton, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, Micah Cates, 20, also of Elizabethton, was transported to the Johnson City Medical Center and remained hospitalized at press time.

Police, fire and rescue squad units were called to the scene shortly before 2 a.m. Investigators reported the men were in a white 2002 BMW car that had gone off Milligan Highway and crashed into the sign pole that held a large sign displaying the brand of gasoline sold and the prices for the various grades. The impact broke the sign into pieces and the pieces fell out of the frame and onto the ground.

Speed was a contributing factor, but it was unknown at this time if drugs or alcohol were involved, according to a police department news release.

Capt. Joyce Markland of the Criminal Investigations Division said the investigation is continuing and no charges have been placed during the early stages.