One dead after vehicle plunges down embankment, catches fire in East County

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — One person was killed after a vehicle plunged roughly 200 feet down an embankment and caught fire overnight in East County, authorities said. According to San Miguel Fire & Rescue officials, calls came in shortly after midnight reporting a rubbish fire in the area of 3180 La Cresta Road, which is located in the unincorporated community of Crest. However, when crews arrived on scene, firefighters discovered a vehicle had left the roadway and crashed into steep brush-covered terrain below. Officials said poor visibility caused by darkness, heavy brush and the distance from the roadway likely led to the initial reports being mistake for a vegetation or rubbish fire. Firefighters worked through difficult terrain to reach the burning vehicle and extinguish the flames. Once crews accessed the wreckage, they discovered a body inside the car. The incident then transitioned into a recovery operation. One victim was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death has not yet been determined. Their identity was not immediately released. Crews conducted an extensive search of the surrounding area to determine whether any additional victims were involved, but no others were found. Deputies with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search effort using a drone. A total of 22 personnel from Lakeside Fire, Heartland Fire, Cal Fire, San Miguel Fire, California Highway Patrol, the sheriff’s office, and AMR responded to the scene. Authorities shut down La Cresta Road from 12:30 a.m. until 4 a.m. while crews worked the area. Officials say the vehicle remained down the embankment early Wednesday morning because conditions were too dangerous for recovery operations overnight. CHP is expected to retrieve the vehicle sometime before noon on Wednesday, a process authorities believe could take several hours. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.