North Carolina doctor dies after crashing Porsche into tree at 150mph

RALEIGH, North Carolina -- The wife of a doctor killed in a serious crash Friday says she believes something went terribly wrong right before her husband slammed his Porsche into a tree.

According to a police report, Matthew Strouch, a colorectal surgeon in North Carolina, crashed after he was unable to maintain control of his vehicle due to excessive speed.

Police say Strouch's Porsche left the roadway, became airborne and then struck a tree while traveling at 148 miles per hour.

He was taken to the hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries. He later died at the hospital.

"He never would drive that fast on purpose. Something went wrong. He never drives that way. Never! Even with a car like that, he's always in control and he knows the roads and he's been having some health issues and he hasn't been himself all the time," Zaneta Strouch told WTVD-TV. "And I don't know if he had something happen to him that made him drive like that. But that's just not him. He's not reckless at all."

Zaneta said she was supposed to attend a doctor's appointment with her husband on Friday, and he was on his way to their home when the crash occurred.

The doctor's widow did not elaborate on her husband's health issues.

"He's never had a speeding ticket. He's never been in an accident. And he's always careful," Zaneta said. "So something else happened. He wasn't driving like that on purpose."

Following the incident, UNC REX issued the following statement:

"Our UNC REX Healthcare family is devastated by the death of Dr. Matthew Strouch, a highly regarded and compassionate colorectal surgeon. Our condolences go out to his wife and children, his patients and his co-workers. Dr. Strouch was Medical Director of the Colorectal Division of North Carolina Surgery and specialized in life-saving procedures for patients with colon and rectal cancer and other gastrointestinal problems. He joined UNC REX in 2012."

Strouch was a father of two; his son is in the second grade and his daughter is in third.