A 42-year-old Placerville woman died early Tuesday after her car left Pony Express Trail and struck an embankment east of Placerville, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The fatal single-vehicle crash occurred at approximately 2:20 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, near Carson Road, according to Officer Andrew Brown, a spokesperson for the CHP’s Placerville office. The woman was driving a 2013 Volkswagen Passat westbound on Pony Express Trail when the vehicle ran off the roadway and hit an embankment.
Investigators believe the woman was not wearing a seat belt when the crash occurred. Her name had not been released as of Tuesday while authorities awaited notification of her family.
CHP Investigates Possible Impairment
Investigators are also examining whether alcohol or drugs contributed to the fatal crash.
“Investigators were awaiting toxicology results to determine whether alcohol or drugs contributed to the crash,” Brown said, according to reporting by The Sacramento Bee.
The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not publicly established whether impairment or another factor caused the driver to leave the roadway.
Pony Express Trail Connects Communities Along Highway 50
Pony Express Trail runs roughly parallel to U.S. Highway 50 through the foothills of El Dorado County, serving communities east of Placerville, including areas around Camino and Pollock Pines.
The road is part of the local transportation network used by residents traveling between foothill communities, homes and businesses. The fatal collision is a reminder of the serious consequences that can result from roadway departures, particularly when vehicle occupants are not restrained.
California law generally requires drivers and passengers age 16 and older to wear seat belts. Seat belts help restrain occupants during a collision and reduce the risk of being thrown against vehicle interiors or ejected from a vehicle.
The circumstances surrounding Tuesday’s crash remain under investigation. The El Dorado County Coroner’s Office was expected to release the woman’s identity after her family had been notified.
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