Tragedy in Oceanside
A tragic accident occurred in Oceanside, where at least one person died and another was seriously injured after a car crashed into a parked excavator on State Route 78 on Sunday afternoon. According to the California Highway Patrol, the accident occurred shortly after 4:15 p.m. in the eastbound lanes near El Camino Real.
The Oceanside Fire Department responded to the accident where they reported that a small car collided with the excavator that was parked near the shoulder. Both occupants of the vehicle were trapped inside after the crash and suffered "serious injuries," and at least one was later pronounced dead.
According to the Oceanside Fire Department, crews were able to quickly extricate the trapped driver from the vehicle, who was transported by helicopter to a nearby trauma center. It then took them about 30 minutes to free the passenger due to the "challenging circumstances" of the rescue. Once freed, they were taken to a nearby trauma center, but authorities said they went into traumatic cardiac arrest in the ambulance. As of 7 p.m. Sunday, OPD said they were in critical but stable condition.
It is unclear at this time whether it was the passenger or the driver who succumbed to their injuries. The identities of the two have not been disclosed by authorities.
Traffic was halted for several hours as rescue teams freed the two people trapped inside the vehicle.
The cause of the accident is under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.
Contact us here on the WarmuthLaw website or through our hotline 888-517-9888.
