Deadly Car Crash Sparks Fire Off I-5

Pablo Baltierra, 18, died when his car drifted off the road, rolled down an embankment and struck a tree

Friends of a San Diego college student gathered near a makeshift memorial at the site of a deadly car accident on southbound Interstate 5.

California Highway Patrol  officers received several calls reporting a fire on I-5, just north of Palm Ave., around 6:12 a.m. Sunday.

Authorities said they didn’t realize the fire stemmed from a car accident until they arrived at the scene and found a wrecked 2004 Cadillac CTS rolled over on its roof, engulfed in the flames and sparked a brush fire.

Pablo Baltierra, 18, died when his car drifted off the road, rolled down an embankment and struck a tree according to friends.

Friends said Baltierra was a running back on the football team at Mar Vista High School.

Classmate Yanett Torres said he as a good dancer who had a lot of friends.

Baltierra was starting his first year at Kaplan College according to friends.

The CHP said no one appears to have actually witnessed the accident.  

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