Details of a traffic collision that left one person dead in the early hours of Sunday morning have been released by the California Highway Patrol.
On Sunday at 2:16 a.m. the CHP Newhall-area office and Los Angeles County Fire Department were notified of a traffic collision on the southbound Highway 14 to southbound Interstate 5 connector. Personnel from both agencies arrived at the scene of the crash minutes later.
The initial report was a solo vehicle into the center divider, Melanie Flores, a spokeswoman with the L.A County Fire Department, said on Sunday.
The traffic collision involved a Nissan Sentra carrying two passengers. The driver of the vehicle, Marco A. Vazquez, 33, from Canoga Park, was pronounced deceased at the scene of the collision.
The passenger of the vehicle, a 17-year-old, was extracted from the front passenger seat and transported to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital with minor to moderate injuries, stated the CHP report.
“Preliminary investigation indicates that Vazquez was driving his Nissan Sentra southbound SR-14 to southbound Interstate 5 in the No.1 lane at a high rate of speed. Due to an unknown reason, the driver made an unsafe left turning movement and ultimately collided with multiple sand barrels attenuators,” said the report.
“The Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived on scene and declared Marco Antonio Vazquez deceased based on the extent of injuries he sustained,” it added.
Alcohol is suspected to be a factor in the collision and officers with the CHP Newhall area office are investigating, according to the CHP report.
The southbound 14 highway and southbound I-5 connector was closed at 2:36 a.m., and reopened at 8:43 a.m., CHP Officer Elizabeth Kravig said on Sunday.
Anyone with information regarding the crash can contact the investigating Officer Y. Osorio or Public Information Officer Josh Greengard at the CHP Newhall area office at 661-600-1600.
Lucas Nava contributed to this report.
