Two people are confirmed dead after an accident in Alpine Thursday morning.
The crash on westbound I-8 west of West Willows happened at about 11:10 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
There was just one car involved in the crash -- a gray Ford Ranger traveling at approximately 70 MPH. For an unknown reason, the driver made a sudden right-hand turn, repelling the car off the roadway into an oak tree, said CHP spokesperson Brian Pennings.
Shortly after arriving CHP confirmed that two people in the mangled car were pronounced dead from blunt force trauma.
Intially, officials said the two male victims were wearing their seat-belts at the time of the crash. However, investigators later revealed the passenger was not buckled up.
Neither drugs nor alcohol were believed to be a factor.
The victims were later identified by the medical examiner as 45-year-old driver Michael Roe from Lakeside and 49-year-old passenger Steven Bossenbroek.
Local
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
About the same time of the accident, a thunderstorm began just south of I-8 near Alpine. CHP authorities do not believe weather was a factor in the accident.
Check back for updates.
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