Fiery crash on Highway 118 in Simi Valley kills driver
A driver was killed in a fiery crash on Highway 118 in Simi Valley early Saturday, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The single-vehicle incident occurred shortly before 2:30 a.m. on the westbound side near Sycamore Drive.
The driver, a 49-year-old Simi Valley man, had been headed westbound in a 2021 Dodge Durango SUV, CHP officials said in a news release. He was the only person in the SUV. His speed wasn't immediately known.
For reasons still under investigation, the driver allowed the SUV to veer onto the right shoulder, where it hit a metal and wood guardrail and overturned, according to the CHP's account. The SUV ended up overturned on its left side along the right shoulder, where it caught fire.
When Ventura County Fire Department crews arrived, the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames.
The driver died at the scene. His name was not released pending notification of relatives.
At least one caller told dispatchers the vehicle exploded, the CHP incident log showed, but Officer Ryan Ayers wasn't able to confirm whether there had been an explosion.
However, the fiery nature of the crash could have resulted in the vehicle's tires exploding, he said, or areas in the engine compartment exploding even if the gas tank was intact.
What's more, Ayers said, the sound of the vehicle hitting the guardrail would have been extremely loud, so both auditory and visual elements at the scene could have impacted a caller's description.
Authorities don't yet know whether alcohol or drugs were a factor.
The crash partially closed the westbound 118 for about four hours. Simi Valley police assisted with traffic control.
The accident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the CHP's Moorpark-area office at 805-553-0800
This story may be updated.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Fiery crash on Highway 118 in Simi Valley kills driver
