Woman Killed in Crash that Caused Small Brush Fire in Shandon, CA

Just before 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 25th, a fatal crash led to a brush fire along Highway 41 near Wood Canyon Road in San Luis Obispo County. 

CAL Fire crews reported a single vehicle found that was caught on fire with one person involved. The female driver has not yet been identified and was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Traffic was restricted in the area for quite some time following the accident during the investigation process.

According to CHP, the woman was speeding when driving a Volkswagen Jetta which resulted in her veering off the road and landing in a drainage ditch. The woman gained enough strength to crawl out of the vehicle but ended up dying from her injuries. 

The Jetta was completely consumed by flames and mostly disintegrated in the end result.

Speeding was a contributing factor in 26% of traffic accidents that resulted in death(s) in 2018, according to the  NHTSA. The dangers of speeding include: 

• Loss of control of vehicle 
• Increase in crash severity 
• Increase in fuel consumption and/or cost 
• Reduces the effectiveness of protection equipment