Man ID'd In Deadly Crash On I-80 In Pinole

PINOLE, CA — A man who died in a solo crash on westbound Interstate Highway 80 in Pinole early Wednesday morning has been identified as 59-year-old El Sobrante resident Dexter Francis, according to the Contra Costa County coroner's office.

Francis was killed in a rollover crash just east of Pinole Valley Road. He was extricated from his vehicle and life-saving procedures were administered, but Francis was pronounced dead at the scene.

California Highway Patrol investigators report that "it appears that the solo male driver of the 2000 Audi was traveling at a high rate of speed on I-80 westbound approaching Pinole Valley Road and veered off the roadway and into the concrete sound wall, and subsequently overturned and slid across the lanes and came to rest blocking the #2 & #3 lanes."

A Sig-Alert was issued at 1:37 a.m. and lifted at 3:02 a.m. when all lanes of traffic were opened.

The crash remains under investigation. If you it or the events leading up to it, contact Contra Costa CHP in Martinez at (925) 646-4980.

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— Patch editor Bea Karnes and Bay City News contributed to this report; Image via Shutterstock