Fallbrook CA— Early this morning, February 4, 2018 at approximately 1:07 AM, a 19-year-old male from Fallbrook was driving a 1996 Saturn sedan northbound on South Mission Road,
near Quail Knoll Road with three other occupants. A 27-year-old male from Fallbrook was driving a 2007 Ford (UHaul truck) southbound on Mission Road, approaching the Saturn.
The male driver of the Saturn drifted across the two-way turn lane that separated the northbound and southbound lanes, directly into the path of the approaching U-Haul truck, resulting in a head-on collision.
The four occupants of the Saturn were trapped within the heavily damaged sedan. Fire personnel responded and provided assistance to the injured parties. The driver of the Saturn suffered major blunt force trauma and fractured left hand and was flown to Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, and is expected survive. The right rear passenger within the Saturn, a 20-year-old female from Escondido,
sustained fatal injuries during the collision and died at the scene. Two passengers within the Saturn, a 17-year-old female from Escondido, and a 20-year-old male from Fallbrook, suffered moderate injuries and were transported by ground to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido. It does not appear that seatbelts were used by any of the occupants within the Saturn.
The driver of the U-Haul truck sustained minor injuries and was not transported.
South Mission Road in both directions was affected due to the on-scene investigation from the time of the collision, until approximately 5:40 AM when the roadway was reopened.
This collision remains under investigation and DUI is believed to be a factor that contributed to its cause. The identities of the victims has not been released.