A motorist was killed Thursday when a van plowed into a stalled car on Interstate 215 in Murrieta, triggering a fire that consumed the sedan.
The fatality occurred at 3:25 a.m. on southbound I-215 near Clinton Keith Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officer Mike Lassig said that the 22-year-old victim, identified only as a Temecula man, was driving his 2007 Chevrolet Malibu in the fast lane when he apparently lost control and struck the center divider, rendering the car inoperable.
The Malibu stalled in the No. 1 southbound lane.
Lassig said the sedan’s sole passenger decided to get out and stand in the center divider, while the driver remained behind the wheel, calling for assistance.
A couple of minutes later, a Ford F-350 transit van going southbound at an undetermined speed approached the stalled Malibu, but the driver, identified only as a 61-year-old Moreno Valley man, did not stop in time and slammed into the rear of the car, according to Lassig.
He said the van spun into the middle of the freeway, while the Malibu instantly caught fire.
Murrieta Fire & Rescue personnel reached the location within a few minutes and knocked down the blaze. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The van operator suffered minor injuries and was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar for treatment. He was the sole occupant of the van.
The Malibu passenger, whose identity was not disclosed, was not hurt.
All southbound lanes were shut down for three hours while the wreckage was cleared and a preliminary investigation was conducted.
Anyone with information about the collision was asked to contact the CHP’s Temecula office at 951-466-4300.