Woman Killed In I-215 Rollover Crash In Menifee: CHP

MENIFEE, CA — A 71-year-old woman was fatally injured Wednesday when she apparently lost control of her SUV on Interstate 215 in Menifee, overturning on the shoulder of the freeway. The crash occurred about 3:50 p.m. on northbound Interstate 215, just north of state Route 74, according to the California Highway Patrol.

CHP Officer Mike Lassig said the victim was in the slow lane in her 2002 Ford Explorer when she allowed the vehicle to drift to the right, onto the dirt shoulder. It's unclear what prompted her to drift to the side.

"The female driver was unable to maintain control of the Ford Explorer, causing it to roll over in a northeasterly direction, colliding into a chain link fence before coming to a stop," Lassig said in a news release. "The female driver was not wearing her seatbelt, which resulted with her being ejected from the Ford Explorer and sustaining fatal injuries."

Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene a few minutes later. No other vehicles were involved.

The freeway remained open after the crash, which remains under investigation.

Lassig stressed the importance of always buckling up.

"The CHP would like to remind all motorists to always buckle up, seat-belts save lives," he said.

— City News Service contributed to this report