News

The California Highway Patrol is investigating a single car crash on State Route 36 that left a 31-year-old Chula Vista man dead.

The CHP believes Trenton Hudson was driving westbound on State Route 36 sometime on March 2 when, for unknown reasons, he allowed his vehicle to drift off the right edge of the roadway before overcorrecting to the left, crossing both lanes of traffic and going down a steep embankment, where it collided with a tree. Hudson, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, was found deceased in the vehicle.

The crash was reported to CHP shortly before 3 p.m. on March 2 but the exact time it occurred is unknown as the vehicle came to rest on a stretch of the river bar that’s hard to see from the roadway. CHP reported that it was alternately raining and snowing much of March 2.

It’s unclear if drugs or alcohol played a part in the crash.

See the full release from the CHP copied below:

FATAL TRAFFIC COLLISION ON SR-36

The Humboldt Office of the California Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal, solo vehicle, solo occupant traffic collision that occurred sometime on 3/2/18.  The call of the collision was received at 1459 hours; however, the exact time of the collision has not yet been determined.  The male driver was traveling westbound on SR-36, at milepost 23.19, when he apparently allowed his vehicle to run off the right edge of the road.  He then over corrected to the left.  His vehicle went across both traffic lanes and ran off the left edge of SR-36.  It then overturned as it went down a steep embankment.  It collided with a tree, before it came to rest on its wheels, against a large boulder, just above the river.  The vehicle received major damage.  It was difficult to see at its point of rest, so it is currently unknown how long it was there prior to the CHP being notified.  It was raining and snowing on and off all day at this location, but the exact weather at the time of the collision is not known.

The adult male driver was apparently not wearing his seatbelt; however, he remained in the vehicle.  He received fatal injuries and was transported from the scene by the Coroner's Office.  His identity, exact age, and city of residence have not yet been determined.  It is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the collision.  The collision investigation is ongoing. 


*UPDATE*:

The driver has been identified:

Trenton Hudson, 31, of Chula Vista, CA