WHITEWATER, CA — A 48-year-old woman who died when she was ejected during a single-vehicle crash on eastbound Interstate 10 in Whitewater was identified Monday.
Kathleen Rodriguez of Riverside died from her injuries about 2:30 a.m. Saturday west of state Route 62, according to the California Highway Patrol.
A Chevrolet Tahoe hauling a trailer was traveling eastbound in the No. 4 lane at an unconfirmed speed when the motorist lost control, veered left, and struck a guardrail in the center divider, according to the CHP.
It was not immediately clear why the driver lost control.
Rodriguez, the right front passenger inside the Tahoe, was not wearing her seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. Paramedics arrived at the scene a short time later and she was pronounced dead.
The driver, identified only as a 45-year-old man from Riverside, suffered minor injuries, but was not taken to a hospital.
Neither alcohol nor drugs are suspected to have been factors in the crash.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with additional information about the crash is asked to call 760-772-5300.
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