Orem Marine Killed In Wrong-Way Crash In California
Jan 14, 2020, 5:44 PM | Updated: 6:42 pm
CARLSBAD, Calif. – A U.S. Marine from Utah was killed in a head-on crash in San Diego County on Interstate 5.
Officer Mark Latulippe with the California Highway Patrol told KSL the 19-year-old victim from Tuesday’s crash was from Orem.
The young man was killed by a wrong-way driver who crashed into him on I-5 in Carlsbad, which is about 35 miles north of San Diego.
“He comes flying by in the fast lane driving the wrong way on the freeway. Going over 100 (mph) easily. He just flew by,” said witness Zach Leja, who was almost hit by the driver. “As soon as he passed us he crashed and just a big explosion, just bad.”
Officer Tom Bussey with the Oceanside Police Department told KSL that it all started in their city just after midnight on Monday when officers pulled over a pickup truck. As they were walking to the truck the driver took off and fled the scene. The officers gave chase but stopped once the driver entered the I-5 freeway going southbound into northbound traffic.
The Marine Corps did not comment on the situation and Latulippe said a name is expected to be released on Wednesday.
The driver of the truck, a 42-year-old man from San Diego, was also killed in the crash. A 35-year-old passenger in his truck was hospitalized with “major injuries.”
Officials said they are investigating whether the driver was impaired in some way and reported the driver has an extensive criminal history.
