Mich. highway sign displays racial slur directed at Trayvon Martin

(CBS/WWJ) ALLEN PARK, Mich. - A road work sign that normally carries messages about construction projects or lane closures was plastered  early Monday with a hateful message about Trayvon Martin, the teen killed by a neighborhood watchman in Florida, and included a racial slur.

Michigan Department of Transportation spokesman Rob Morosi said an unauthorized person was able to get into the box attached to the portable sign along westbound I-94 near Livernois around 1 a.m. Monday and pull out the keyboard, reports CBS affiliate WWJ.

"These signs, obviously, are in cabinets which someone has to break into. And then they have to be knowledgeable as to how to erase the message that's on there, create a new message and activate it," Morosi said.

Morosi said they sent a crew out to the scene to address the issue as soon as they learned of it. The sign is now warning drivers about a construction project ahead.

MDOT is investigating with the help of Michigan State Police. Morosi said that whoever is responsible could face serious charges.