A 40-year-old Las Vegas man has been identified as the driver killed in a fiery collision with a semi-truck on northbound Interstate 15 near Mountain Pass, California, in the early hours of Thursday, August 27. The San Bernardino County Coroner's Office identified him as Jeremy Lawson, and authorities say his vehicle was involved in the collision near mile marker 169.
According to Pain In The Pass, Lawson was ejected from his vehicle when the sedan collided with the semi tractor-trailer. Initial reports indicate first responders found Lawson on the roadway experiencing agonal breathing and requested an air ambulance before CHP confirmed the crash had turned fatal at approximately 2:44 a.m. The incident was recorded at approximately 2:19 a.m., while first responders' initial assessment suggested he was still breathing minutes earlier.
Details about the crash remain limited. What caused the collision remains unclear, and authorities have not released additional details about the cause.
Freeway Shut Down for Hours in Both Directions of Travel
The collision forced authorities to close all three northbound lanes of I-15, according to the Victor Valley News Group, with traffic diverted onto the right shoulder for hours overnight. The No. 1 lane didn't reopen until roughly 5:27 a.m., meaning the closure disrupted travel along the corridor for the better part of three hours.
The crash site sits near Mountain Pass. The corridor's design has been described by Gribblenation.
An Interstate 15 Highway Stretch
The stretch of I-15 is the setting for this report.
Motor vehicle traffic crashes provide broader context for this report.
Traffic through the area is part of the broader context. Conditions can vary.
No further updates on the CHP's investigation into what caused Lawson's vehicle to leave its lane have been released. The circumstances behind the swerve, whether tied to fatigue, mechanical failure, or another factor, remain unknown.
