Fatality Confirmed in Grapevine Crash

  • This Toyota Celica GTS is reported to have been traveling over 100 miles per hour down the northbound I-5 when it left the roadway and overturned. [The Mountain Enterprise photo]

    This Toyota Celica GTS is reported to have been traveling over 100 miles per hour down the northbound I-5 when it left the roadway and overturned. [The Mountain Enterprise photo]

LEBEC (Saturday, Sept. 19, 8:12 a.m.)—Although the name has not yet been released of the driver who died while driving at 100-110 miles per hour northbound on Interstate 5 just past the El Tejon School Friday, the coroner has confirmed that he was 21 years old, from Camp Pendleton. The time of the fatal crash has been revised to 2:52 p.m.

LEBEC (Friday, Sept. 18, 4:02 p.m.)—A silver Toyota Celica GTS traveling at speeds in excess of 100-110 miles per hour in the number two northbound lane of the Interstate 5 on the Grapevine this afteroon at about 2:20 p.m. As it tried to enter the number three lane, perhaps seeking to exit, a large truck obstructed its path, California Highway Officer Etchebarne told The Mountain Enterprise: "In swerving back to the left he lost control and rolled several times into the west truck escape ramp."

The driver was found deceased at the scene, still in his car, by the responding officer. He was wearing his seatbelt.

The Mountain Enterprise photographer reported that no northbound lanes were closed at the time of this update. The coroner had not yet arrived.

A Channel 17 television van nearly caused another accident while attempting to cross from southbound lanes to the northbound side at the accident scene, according to the photographer.

Updates about the identity of the driver will be provided as they are available.

LEBEC (Friday, Sept. 18, 3:45 p.m.)—A reporter is en route to the site of a suspected fatal overturned vehicle crash on the west truck ramp (northbound lanes) on the Interstate 5 Grapevine. California Highway Patrol units were dispatched at 2:25 p.m. The coroner was called at 3:04 p.m. More information will be posted as soon as it is available about the status of northbound lanes.

This is part of the September 18, 2009 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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