A man trapped in his burning car died early Monday morning
before firefighters could rescue him. The unidentified man was
driving southbound on U.S. Highway 101 south of Leavesley Road
about 2am when his car veered off the west shoulder, down an
embankment, and crashed head-first into a tree. He was pinned
inside, and the car caught fire.
A man trapped in his burning car died early Monday morning before firefighters could rescue him.
The unidentified man was driving southbound on U.S. Highway 101 south of Leavesley Road about 2am when his car veered off the west shoulder, down an embankment, and crashed head-first into a tree. He was pinned inside, and the car caught fire.
A passer-by saw the blaze and called 911 before pulling over to try to help, California Highway Patrol Officer Chris Armstrong said.
The 1994 Volkswagen Jetta was fully engulfed by the time emergency personnel arrived at the scene, Armstrong said.
Pending the autopsy, officials did not know which of the man’s injuries were fatal, but it appeared he burned to death in the fire.
“It was believed that he was motioning and trying to get out of the vehicle,” Armstrong said.
The man was declared deceased after his body was removed from the car.
No one witnessed the accident, and the speed of the Jetta was not known. Officers will investigate to determine whether the man was driving under the influence, Armstrong said.
Four other people were injured in two separate crashes in South County on Sunday.
A San Jose man ran off Hecker Pass Highway about 2:50pm after he either fell asleep or passed out behind the wheel of his 2003 Ford Explorer, the CHP said. Urdett Kohler, 61, was driving westbound, west of El Toro Ranch, when he lost consciousness and ran his vehicle off the road traveling about 65 miles per hour.
The Explorer ran down an embankment, where it launched into the air, striking a cattle fence. The vehicle landed and rolled over at least once before coming to rest on a dirt road.
Urdett’s 14-year-old passenger was ejected from the vehicle and sustained major injuries, including a possible arm fracture. Urdett suffered moderate injuries. Both victims were transported by air ambulance to Stanford University Medical Center.
The CHP is investigating whether the passenger was wearing a seat belt.
Later Sunday evening, a couch sitting on the onramp to Highway 85 from 101 caused a San Jose man to lose control of his car. The man swerved his 1993 BMW 525i to the right to avoid the couch, then overcorrected, the CHP said.
The BMW went off the road and rolled over at least twice down a 40- to 50-foot embankment before coming to rest on its wheels on the Great Oaks onramp to Highway 85.
The driver, 50-year-old Vorind Su, of San Jose, suffered minor injuries. His passenger, Sosarany Su, 47, of San Jose, was trapped inside the car.
Emergency personnel used the Jaws of Life to free her. She was transported with major injuries to Valley Medical Center, where she was listed in critical condition with unknown injuries, the CHP said.
In Morgan Hill, an elderly woman drove her van into the Burger King restaurant at 16025 Monterey Road Sunday evening. According to Morgan Hill Police officers, she believed she was stepping on the brake but instead was pushing the accelerator when the accident occurred at 6:17pm. The van was all the way into the building, but there were no injuries. The glass front windows and doors of the restaurant were shattered, but there did not appear to be major structural damage to the building, MHPD officers said. The driver was not charged in the incident.
Staff writer Marilyn Dubil also contributed to this report.
