One woman dead following crash, investigation ongoing

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers are investigating a crash that left one woman dead.

In a press release, CHP were notified of a crash on Interstate 8 (I-8), eastbound east of In-Ko-Pah Park Road, on Friday, August 23 at around 11:40am.

When officers arrived, CHP says they found an "overturned vehicle" on the rocky embankment of I-8, and upon initial investigation, they discovered a 31-year-old woman from Calexico was driving a 2002 Toyota Camry eastbound on I-8.

CHP further says, "For unknown reasons, the driver of the Toyota was unable to maintain the vehicle within its lane of travel," causing the Toyota to veer to the right and "traveled off the roadway and overturn down the rocky embankment."

CHP also says the driver was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash and "was ejected from the Toyota as it overturned," where she was pronounced dead at the scene.

In addition, CHP says the Imperial County Coroner's Office responded to the scene after they were notified and took the body. The Coroner's Office will release the victim's name upon next of kin notification, according to CHP.

While CHP doesn't know if "impairment was a factor in the crash," they say the crash remains under investigation.