A well-known doctor died Wednesday after he rolled over his white Toyota Prius on a North City road east of Del Mar.
Investigators say the 74-year-old driver was the only one in the area as he drove eastbound on Via de la Valle near El Camino Real. His car suddenly jerked left, crossing the westbound lanes, hitting the dirt shoulder and flipping.
San Diego Police say the driver suffered a severe head injury and died at the scene.
Coworkers told NBC 7 the victim was Dr. Philip Young, an OB-GYN who also taught at UC San Diego's School of Medicine.
Traffic was closed down between San Andres Drive and Via Del Canon, prompting a Sig Alert for that stretch of Via de la Valle. The closure lasted several hours.
San Diego Police are still investigating the crash and say any number of things could have caused it. They have ruled out alcohol and drugs.
Meanwhile, residents who heard about the crash are furious about the condition of that stretch of road.
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"I was horrified to learn what happened because an accident like that has just been waiting to happen on Via de la Valle," said Del Mar resident Dana Fudurich. "It is lined with pot holes; the city knows about it; the councilwoman knows about it. Nothing has been done to fix them."
A representative from Councilwoman Sherri Lightner's office said there is no record of complaints.
She told NBC 7 that street will eventually be resurfaced, paid for by a private developer, as soon as permits are approved.
A city official wanted to remind people to go to the city's website and submit a service request to have a pothole repaired within nine days.
