San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.comCHP officer among 4 killed in Santee crash

CHP officer among 4 killed in Santee crash

A California Highway Patrol officer was among the four people killed Friday when their vehicle crashed, sparking a small brush fire in Santee.

Initial reports from California Highway Patrol officers indicated that a caller dialed 911 to report that they were inside a car with a stuck accelerator and bad brakes on the 125 freeway north of La Mesa. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the caller said their vehicle was traveling 120 miles per hour.

A nearly simultaneous report came in at 6:37 p.m. Friday of a vehicle on fire and two people trapped inside on the northbound state route 125 off-ramp to Mission Gorge Road in Santee, said San Diego sheriff's Lt. Julie Sutton.

Witnesses reported seeing a vehicle plunge into the San Diego River's bed and burst into flames after striking another vehicle at the end of the Route 125 offramp, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Patrol deputies and fire personnel responding found four occupants, who were declared dead at the scene, Sutton said. Sheriff's deputies handled the crash, in their jurisdiction area on Mission Gorge Road.

The CHP log also indicates that a small brush fire broke out in the wake of the crash.

Sutton said that an investigation was underway by the sheriff's Santee station, but that she did not believe a second vehicle was involved in the crash.

The names of the victims in the fatal crash were withheld and Sutton could not provide any details on their ages or gender.