An 18-year-old San Ramon man remembered as both a varsity track athlete and a nationally rated chess competitor has been identified as the driver killed in a early-morning single-vehicle crash beneath Interstate 580 in Livermore. Ashwin Nagaraja Punaroor died after his car struck a concrete pillar on southbound North Livermore Avenue near the freeway overpass around 2:40 a.m. on Aug. 24.
The Alameda County Coroner's Bureau officially identified Punaroor, and California Highway Patrol preliminary reports indicated he was driving a 2017 Nissan Leaf when it veered off the roadway and struck the pillar, according to Patch. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Punaroor appeared to be a senior at Dougherty Valley High School at the time of his death, though school officials did not respond to a request for information about him.
Local reporting has since clarified his academic status. Although initial coverage suggested Punaroor was a current high school senior, the Pleasanton Weekly confirmed he had actually graduated from Dougherty Valley High School in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District in the spring, months before the crash.
A Standout on the Track and the Chessboard
Punaroor's athletic record shows he competed for Dougherty Valley in track and field, running hurdles at the East Bay Athletic League Championships in May. Available 2026 results list a 17.72-second time in the 110-meter hurdles, while Athletic.net confirms a 41.98-second EBAL result in the 300-meter hurdles during that final high school season.
He also built a competitive record away from the track. Punaroor was recognized by the U.S. Chess Federation as a chess player. As a youth player, he won the under-1200 rating section of the 2018 Best of the West Kids Tournament, finishing with a 5-0 record.
CHP Investigation Continues, Seeking Witnesses
The California Highway Patrol continues to investigate the fatal collision. What caused the Leaf to leave the roadway remains unresolved as the investigation continues.
Another Tri-Valley Fatal Crash
Punaroor's death was reported alongside another fatal crash involving a Tri-Valley teenager in August, as noted by Embarcadero Media. The other came on Aug. 16, when 19-year-old former Granada High School athlete Jerrod Chapman-Marshall died in a crash — a loss Hoodline covered after a Dublin man was charged in connection with it.
The article also addresses broader traffic safety concerns affecting young drivers.
Teen-driver education and safety efforts are another focus. The interchange where Punaroor crashed is at North Livermore Avenue and I-580.
Recent reporting also describes other fatal crashes in the Tri-Valley. No further details about funeral or memorial arrangements for Punaroor were included in available reporting.
