Car rollover causes closure on Interstate 8

A vehicle rollover caused a closure on Interstate 8 east of 4th Street in El Centro Tuesday morning.

The California Highway Patrol said the incident happened at around 10:19 a.m. 40-year-old Travis Calvin was driving westbound on I-8 in a 2006 Subaru at a greater speed than 70 MPH. Calvin was trying to pass another vehicle and made an unsafe lane change into traffic entering the roadway’s center median.

Authorities said the left side of Calvin’s Subaru collided with Oleander bushes in the center median causing his vehicle to overturn. The vehicle came to rest in the center median of eastbound Interstate 8. The vehicle then caught fire with Calvin still inside. Witnesses at the scene were able to pull Calvin from the wreckage and extinguish the fire.

CHP said Calvin reported wearing his seatbelt but following an investigation, it was determined it was not in use at the time.

The interstate was closed for around 30 minutes to transport Calvin via helicopter to Desert Regional Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

The incident remains under investigation.