Driver Killed In Rollover Crash On I-8 In East County

EL CAJON, CA — A driver was killed early Tuesday when his vehicle crashed and overturned multiple times on a rain-slicked stretch of Interstate 8 in East County, authorities said.

The crash happened at about 5:21 a.m. as the 55-year-old man was driving a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis westbound on the freeway, east of West Main Street in El Cajon, according to the California Highway Patrol. The El Cajon resident was driving around 80 mph in dark and rainy conditions.

For reasons still under investigation, the driver attempted to exit at West Main Street but struck a guardrail, causing the car to lose control and roll over several times, officials said.

The driver was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected onto the roadway, officials said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The collision remains under investigation. It was unknown whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, officials said.