SAN ONOFRE (CNS) - A man, a woman and their two dogs were killed as their pickup truck hit a pole and exploded on Interstate 5 at the San Onofre truck weigh station, a California Highway Patrol officer said Sunday.
The driver was spotted inside the wreckage yelling for help, but was unable to get the door open before the truck burst into flames, according to CHP Officer Jim Bettencourt. The male driver and female passenger died at the scene.
They had been headed south on the freeway in a silver Chevy Silverado at an unknown speed about 10:40 p.m. Saturday.
A witness who was changing a tire on the roadside reported seeing the pickup truck struck a pole and explode, Bettencourt said. The pole supports a scanner that allows certain commercial vehicles to bypass the scales.
"Due to the severity of the fire and the vehicle damage positive identification is not known at this time," Bettencourt said in a statement.
Two dogs also died, he said.
Camp Pendleton firefighters responded, the CHP officer said. Three of the four freeway lanes were blocked for 1-1/2 hours.
The crash remained under investigation, Bettencourt said, and it was not yet known if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.