Deadly Pala Temecula Road Crash: CHP Releases Details

PALA, CA — An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of DUI after a fiery crash on Pala Temecula Road killed one passenger and injured two others in the vehicle, authorities said Wednesday.

The crash was reported at 4:44 p.m. Tuesday on the rural roadway, just south of Temecula in the Pala community, California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Smale said.

A Pala man was driving a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV at a high speed when the vehicle veered off the roadway and crashed into a tree, Smale said.

One passenger in the Jeep was partially ejected from the vehicle during the crash, the officer said. That passenger and the two others were pulled from the Jeep by a good Samaritan before the vehicle caught fire.

The passenger who was partially ejected was pronounced dead at the scene, Smale said. The two others were taken to local hospitals for treatment of unknown injuries.

The driver, whose name was not immediately available, was taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar for treatment of major injuries, then arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of cannabis, Smale said.

Pala Temecula Road was closed until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

—City News Service contributed to this report.