A motorist possibly driving under the influence crashed into a hillside along Highway 371 Monday, causing his vehicle to overturn onto the highway, where he was ejected and killed.
The fatality occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Monday on southbound Highway 371, between Happy Valley Road and Lizard Lane, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officer Mike Lassig said that the driver, whose identity was not immediately released, was going south in his Toyota Camry at an unconfirmed speed when he apparently lost control and veered off of the west side of the two-lane corridor, where the four-door sedan struck a steep embankment
“The collision caused the vehicle to overturn and come to rest blocking lanes,” Lassig said. “The driver was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. Alcohol is suspected to have contributed to this traffic collision.”
Riverside County Fire Department paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene a short time later.
Both sides of the highway were shut down for two hours while a preliminary investigation was conducted and the wreckage cleared, requiring the CHP to implement a detour around the crash site.
Anyone with information was asked to contact the CHP’s Temecula office at 951-466-4300.