EL CAJON (CBS 8/CNS) - A man was killed as he lost control of his vehicle and it ran off the right shoulder embankment on Interstate 8 in El Cajon, and he was publicly identified by the Medical Examiner's Office Sunday.
Lemon Grove resident Ismael Perez Chavez, 30, died in the crash at 11:50 p.m. Saturday, the CHP said.
Witnesses said the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed when it veered across traffic lanes, left the freeway, plunged down a steep embankment and struck a large tree, the Medical Examiner's Office said in a statement.
"From what we gathered, he was probably airborne for at least 60 feet before he collided into the tree," said Sgt. Damian Budwine at the crash scene Saturday night.
Smoke reportedly was coming from the vehicle and it appeared to be catching fire, CHP officers said. Firefighters were called to free someone trapped inside the car, but CHP officers called for the medical examiners just after midnight, according to CHP logs.
According to Perez's family, Perez had served in the U.S. Marine Corps and had recently graduated from Platt College in San Diego. Originally from Ensenada, he had dreams of becoming a professional video producer or editor.