3 Killed, 1 Injured In Rollover Crash In Rancho Bernardo

RANCHO BERNARDO, CA – Three people were killed and a fourth person was seriously injured in a rollover crash Thursday afternoon off Interstate 15 in Rancho Bernardo, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The southbound vehicle had been traveling around 100 mph prior to veering off the freeway about 1:15 p.m.just south of West Bernardo Drive, smashing through a guardrail and a fence, and tumbling roughly 120 feet down the roadside embankment, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Two of the four people in the SUV died at the scene, CHP Officer Jake Sanchez said. Medics took the other two people to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, where one was pronounced dead. The other was admitted for treatment of major trauma.

U.S. Border Patrol personnel were at the scene of accident shortly after it occurred. Preliminary indications were that they may have been tailing the SUV when it crashed off the interstate, CHP Officer Tommy Doerr said.

USBP public-affairs Agent Tekae Michael confirmed that the federal agency was "involved" in some way, though she said it was unclear if a pursuit had taken place.

All the non-carpool southbound lanes of Interstate 15 were closed as officials investigated the crash, according to the CHP. Southbound traffic was diverted past the site of the accident via the FasTrak lanes.

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