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Four Dead After Overcrowded Car Rolls Off Mountain Road Near Wrightwood

California Highway Patrol is investigating the crash with low seat-belt use and suspected alcohol involvement cited as key factors.

Overview

  • A single-vehicle rollover on Highway 2 near Flume Canyon Drive left four people dead and two others critically injured after a 2016 Hyundai Veloster carrying six people ran off the road early Friday.
  • First responders found five occupants ejected from the wreck and one person who had been belted remove the restraint before exiting the vehicle.
  • Emergency crews used two air ambulances and about 40 feet of cable to reach scattered victims on the steep embankment and airlift two survivors to a trauma center in critical condition.
  • Authorities say the Veloster was overcrowded for its five-seat design and have flagged low seat-belt use and suspected alcohol involvement while CHP continues toxicology and crash-scene investigations.
  • The crash, which occurred at the start of the Labor Day weekend and involved people from the small Wrightwood community, has prompted officials to stress seat-belt use and to say further findings will depend on ongoing tests and a mechanical review.