LAKESIDE, Calif. —
A woman was killed on a Lakeside road after the car she was driving veered off the road, crashed into a tree, and burst into flames.
California Highway Patrol and CalFire San Diego responded to reports of a vegetation fire and crash in the 12000 block of Wildcat Canyon Road in the Lakeside area of San Diego County around 4:27 p.m. on December 4, according to a press release from Jared Grieshaber, a Public Information Officer for CHP.
Grieshaber said that for reasons unknown, a woman and her female passenger were driving a BMW 325i sedan northbound on Wildcat Canyon Road, just north of Muth Valley Road, when the vehicle veered to the right of the road, traveled up an embankment, and struck a tree before landing in a ditch.
The press release stated that the female passenger was able to get out of the sedan with injuries before it caught fire.
Incident reports detailed the passenger was observed by a witness running frantically around the vehicle after the crash.
The passenger was transported to an area hospital with what officials described as "possibly serious" injuries.
The driver of the vehicle could not get out of the car before it caught fire and was pronounced dead on the scene, Grieshaber said.
The victim's identity was withheld pending next of kin notification.
CalFire officials said a brush fire ignited due to the car fire.
Dozens of resources were dispatched to the scene to knock down the vegetation fire, which was reported to have charred a 100x100 spot.
It’s unknown if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.
An investigation is underway.
California Highway Patrol asked anyone with details regarding the crash to contact Officer Jared Grieshaber at (619) 401-2000.
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