Coroner Identifies Man Killed In Menifee Crash

MENIFEE, CA — Authorities Tuesday identified a 36-year-old man who was fatally injured in a rollover crash during which his pickup truck struck a Caltrans camera pole and tree on Interstate 215 in Menifee.

The Riverside County coroner's office identified the man as Andrew Carson of Encinitas. The fatality occurred about 3 a.m. Monday on southbound I-215 at McCall Boulevard, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Officer Mike Lassig said the victim was traveling at an unknown speed when his Dodge Ram drifted onto the right shoulder, slamming into a beam on which a Caltrans traffic camera was mounted.

"The Dodge continued in a southwesterly direction, where it collided with a large palm tree," Lassig said. "The collision with the tree caused the Dodge to cross over the dirt gore point of the McCall on-ramp, and it subsequently overturned."

He said that Carson was partially ejected from the vehicle when it rolled because he wasn't wearing a seatbelt.

No other vehicles were involved.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department paramedics reached the location within a few minutes and pronounced the motorist dead at the scene.

It's unknown whether alcohol or drugs might have been factors in the crash, which remains under investigation.