An 18-year-old motorist was killed early Wednesday when the SUV he was driving veered off a hillside roadway near El Cajon, tumbled hundreds of feet down an embankment and caught fire, authorities reported.
The eastbound 2003 Ford Explorer crashed off La Cresta Road near Ranch Gate Road in the unincorporated Crest community shortly before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Initially, the deadly accident was believed to be just a rubbish or vegetation fire, but emergency crews who made their way down the slope found the burning vehicle with the driver’s body inside, San Miguel Fire & Rescue reported.
The deceased motorist’s identity was withheld pending family notification.
Using a drone, sheriff’s deputies searched the area for any other victims, finding none.
The cause of the deadly 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.”