Officials with the county Coroner’s Office identified the man killed in Tuesday’s fiery fatal crash on San Francisquito Canyon Road as 28-year-old Bradley Smith, of Lancaster.
Smith was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
The official cause of his death was blunt trauma, Kelly Yagerlener of the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner told The Signal Thursday, noting the manner of death was accidental.
On Tuesday, about 6:45 a.m., the driver of a white 2006 Kia, later identified as Smith, was driving, southbound on San Francisquito Canyon, less than a half mile south of Dry Gulch Road approaching a 2010 Lexus ES350, according to a news release issued by California Highway Patrol Officer Josh Greengard.
The driver of the Lexus, identified as Amy Porter, of Santa Clarita, was driving northbound on San Francisquito Canyon Road.
Smith tried to pass traffic and traveled into the northbound lane, according to a CHP report.
While attempting the passing maneuver, Smith spotted oncoming traffic.
“(Smith) made an evasive turning movement to the right and traveled back onto the southbound lane and into the dirt right shoulder,” the CHP report states.
He lost control of his Kia and traveled out of control back over the double yellow lines and into oncoming lanes where his vehicle collided head on with the Lexus.
The Kia caught fire and became fully engulfed in flames.
Porter, was taken by ambulance to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital where she was treated for moderate injuries.
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