A man was killed when his car careened off a cliff in the East County, dropping 100 feet down a steep embankment, officials said.
Rescue crews have been on the scene of the deadly accident near the exit for Flynn Spring County Park along Interstate 8 in Alpine.
Another driver, heading home from the casino around midnight Friday, told officials the car flew off the cliff.
“According to witnesses the vehicle was doing approximately 100 mph when for unknown reasons it lost control, went into the center median and started to spin out and from that point there was no recover,” said Sgt. Ken Jolly with the California Highway Patrol. “The vehicle went over the side.”
The car took out several road signs and then dropped 100 feet straight down officers said.
Fire crews used heavy equipment to try and repel down to the mangled vehicle.
They were able to determine the man behind the wheel was killed in the crash. He has been identified by the county medical examiner as 61-year old Braulio Soliven Ellorin of San Diego.
Ellorin was wearing a seatbelt and was the only person inside the car at the time of the crash police said.
The CHP says at this point speed appears to be the cause of the accident. Officials say it's too soon to tell if alcohol may have played a role in the crash.
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