Overview
- CHP said the driver, the lone occupant, died after the northbound vehicle crashed late Friday morning in Santa Cruz County.
- According to the CHP incident log, the car left the roadway, hit a guardrail and a tree, and then caught fire.
- Emergency crews could not access the interior because the vehicle was fully engulfed, according to on-scene reporting.
- Multiple 911 callers reported a vehicle speeding, swerving, and tailgating before the crash, which remains under investigation.
- Authorities briefly closed lanes in both directions and diverted traffic to Granite Creek before reopening the highway, and a small patch of brush also burned near Vine Hill Road.