A man who died in a fiery crash on Interstate 8 in Campo over the weekend has been identified as a United States Navy sailor, the military confirmed Thursday.
Monterro Friend, a 34-year-old Aviation Electrician's Mate First Class, died Sunday when the Toyota Tundra he was traveling in on westbound I-8 near Crestwood Road crashed head-on into a metal guardrail, the California Highway Patrol said.
The vehicle then became airborne and collided head-on into the opposite embankment to the west side of Crestwood Road, causing the driver to be ejected from the vehicle and land underneath it, CHP said.
Friend was trapped inside as the vehicle then caught fire and became engulfed in flames, according to officials.
U.S. Navy Captain Rich LeBron told NBC 7 in a written statement that Friend's shipmates were mourning his loss.
"The loss of AE1 Friend has impacted us all. We all mourn for our shipmate. Our primary concern now is to provide support for the family, friends and shipmates as they grieve his loss," LeBron said.
Officers said the car was traveling at a high speed when the driver for unknown reasons veered to the left at about 3 a.m. The cause of the crash was not yet known.
