A young motorist died early Wednesday when the SUV he was driving veered off a Crest road, tumbled hundreds of feet down an embankment and caught fire, authorities said.
The eastbound 2003 Ford Explorer crashed off La Cresta Road near Ranch Gate Road in the unincorporated community shortly before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Initially, first responders thought the incident was a rubbish or vegetation fire, but the crews that proceeded down the slope found the burning vehicle with the body of the 18-year-old driver inside, San Miguel Fire & Rescue reported. His identity was withheld pending notification of family.
Using a drone, sheriff’s deputies searched the area for any other victims, and found none.
The cause of the wreck, which left the roadway closed to through traffic near the crash site until about 4 a.m., was unclear.
“This is an ongoing investigation,” CHP public-affairs Officer Jasmine Lopez said in the late morning. “It is unknown if drugs and/or alcohol were a factor in the crash.”
