Fatal Rollover Crash Closes Lane on State Route 76 in Oceanside [UPDATED]

OCEANSIDE, CA: A 67-year-old Fallbrook man died in a rollover crash Friday afternoon on state Route 76 in Oceanside.

The fatal wreck happened just before about 1 p.m. when the victim lost control of his vehicle near Singh Road, just east of Melrose Drive, and left the roadway at a high of rate of speed, according to Oceanside police Spokesman Ryan Keim. 

"The driver was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene," Keim said.

The section of roadway remained closed for several hours while the Oceanside Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team conducted its investigation. 

Traffic Sgt. Igacio Lopez said it was determined that the driver of a 1996 GMC Safari van, later identified as Hutch Hutchinson of Fallbrook, was traveling eastbound on SR-76 east of Singh Road when he crossed the left emergency lane and struck the wall that divides the roadway.

"The GMC regained its travel and continued until it veered to the right and onto the right dirt shoulder," Lopez said. 

The driver over-corrected and steered to the left, Lopez said, crossing the number two lane and into the number one lane, making a sharp right turn as he headed toward the emergency lane, which caused the van to go into a side skid.

"The GMC flipped onto the driver side and slid until it reached the right dirt shoulder," Lopez said. "This caused the GMC to roll and ejected the driver."

The van and the driver slid to their points of rest in a small ravine, where Hutchinson died at the scene from injuries suffered in the crash, according to Lopez.

Anyone with information about the collision was asked to call the Oceanside Police Department at 760-435-4911.

***Updated at 4:03 a.m. Pacific Time, June 4, 2016; Originally posted at 2:35 p.m. Pacific Time on June 3, 2016.*** 

(image via Shutterstock)