Motorist Killed, Child Hurt in Crash Involving Tree near Palomar Mountain

AGUANGA (KUSI) – A motorist died and a child was airlifted to a hospital Tuesday morning following a crash involving a fallen tree on a rural road northeast of Palomar Mountain, authorities said.

Dispatchers received a report shortly before 5:45 a.m. that a tree had fallen in the middle of the roadway on state Route 79 near Oak Grove Truck Trail, between Aguanga and Warner Springs, California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said.

Officers responded to the scene and found one vehicle stuck underneath the tree, which was blocking both directions of the two-lane road, Bettencourt said.

That vehicle’s driver was pronounced dead at the scene, but no details about the victim or the vehicle were available, the officer said.

A juvenile passenger, whose age was not available, was airlifted to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego for treatment of unknown injuries, Cal Fire San Diego Capt. Issac Sanchez said.

Investigators were trying to determine whether the tree fell on top of the car or if the driver crashed into the tree after it fell.

A SigAlert was issued around 6:55 a.m. shutting down both directions of state Route 79.