By Perry Smith and Maya Morales
California Highway Patrol officers are investigating a car that appeared to have a dead body inside when it crashed into a curb Wednesday morning by the Walmart in Stevenson Ranch.
LA County Fire Department officials and the CHP Newhall Area Office were the first on scene to the report of a possible crash near Pico Canyon and The Old Road, according to Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials. Deputies also initially responded, but ultimately, the incident was determined to be a CHP handle.
CHP officers received the report at 8:29 a.m., according to Officer Carlos Burgos-Lopez with the Newhall Area Office. The responding officer noticed the unresponsive man inside and broke the car window to gain access to the vehicle.
A body could be seen in a silver early 2000s Toyota Camry that was surrounded by the fire engine and CHP patrol car that were first on the scene.
Once it was determined the man was deceased, a discussion ensued between CHP officers and LASD deputies who responded to determine the handling of the investigation: a dead body outside of the vehicle would be a death from unnatural causes for LASD to look into; a death in a vehicle would be a CHP handle, according to a source with knowledge of the information. The evidence of a traffic collision also was a factor, according to officials.
The first responders were still discussing jurisdiction of the investigation at the scene as of about 9:45 a.m., with the responding officers referring comment to the public information officers for both the SCV Sheriff’s Station and the local CHP office.
LASD Detective David Ibanez , who was near the incident when the call went out, said the manner of death had not yet been determined and the death was part of an active investigation. There did not appear to be any signs of obvious injury to the man who was in the driver’s seat.
There was no initial report of obvious signs of foul play, but the scene is still under investigation as of the publication of this story.
CHP officers did not have any information to indicate the incident was criminal in nature based on the preliminary report.
The medical examiner’s office has not released the identity of the decedent pending the notification of his next of kin.
This is a breaking news story, and more information will be published as it becomes available.
