A 28-year-old Fullerton man was fatally injured when the speeding Honda Civic he was driving swerved to avoid hitting another car and slammed head-on into a Nissan Pathfinder, police said Saturday.
The accident took place at about 9 p.m. Friday near Richman Avenue and Orangethorpe Avenue, according to the Fullerton Police Department.
Arriving officers found that a white 2006 Honda Civic and a grey 2016 Nissan Pathfinder had been involved in the collision, and both had significant front-end damage.
Police said the initial investigation indicates that the Civic was traveling east on Orangethorpe approaching Richman “at a high rate of speed” when it served into oncoming traffic, apparently to avoid rear-ending another eastbound vehicle traveling in front of it at a slower speed.
After swerving into oncoming westbound traffic, the Civic struck the Pathfinder, police said.
The Honda driver was rushed to a trauma center where he was pronounced dead. His identity was being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
The driver of the Pathfinder, a 44-year-old Fullerton man, and his 8-year-old female passenger both suffered minor injuries.
Anyone who witnessed the collision was asked to contact police at 714-738-6812, or Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227.