A drive out toward El Capitan Reservoir turned tragic today when a two-vehicle crash at El Monte Road and El Cajon Mountain Truck Trail in Lakeside left one person dead, authorities said.
Emergency crews arrived to find one victim who was pronounced dead at the scene. The intersection was blocked off while investigators worked the crash site. Officials said the exact circumstances of the collision were not immediately available.
According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, the California Highway Patrol responded to the wreck and launched an investigation. The CHP told the paper it has not yet released the victim's identity while that investigation continues.
Where the crash happened
The collision occurred on a rural stretch of El Monte Road that serves as a main route to El Capitan Reservoir and trail access on El Cajon Mountain. City project and environmental records describe El Monte Road and the El Cajon Mountain Truck Trail as primary access roads to the dam and spillway; see City of San Diego documents for more detail.
Investigation ongoing
CHP personnel along with local fire and rescue crews collected evidence and worked to clear the roadway, officials said. Investigators have not yet said whether speed, impairment or seat belt use played any role in the crash, according to the The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Traffic-safety context
Fatal wrecks remain one of the leading causes of preventable death on California roads, and safety officials continue to push enforcement, education and engineering strategies to bring those numbers down. National preliminary estimates and state-level planning documents outline current trends and countermeasures; see early estimates from NHTSA and California's strategic highway safety plan for background.
Anyone with information about Thursday's crash is urged to contact the CHP's San Diego-area office. Investigators are asking witnesses or anyone with dashcam or cellphone video from the area to come forward. This story will be updated when officials release additional details or when the county medical examiner publicly identifies the victim.
