Driver Dies After Striking A Deer in San Diego

On Friday night, a two-car accident at the intersection of San Pasqual Road and San Pasqual Valley Road claimed the life of a 20-year-old driver. The accident took place around 7:30 p.m. near the San Diego Zoo.

The young driver was operating a Ford Mustang on the westbound side of San Pasqual Road when she ran over a deer that was lying in the middle of the road.  The damage to the front of the Mustang led authorities to believe that the deer was already on the ground when the driver came into contact with it. Based on this information, the deer was determined to be dead prior to being hit, but the driver panicked after striking the animal, thus losing control of her vehicle.

The girl’s vehicle drifted into eastbound traffic where it was hit by an oncoming Ford Explorer. Medics attempted to take the woman to the Palomar Medical Center, but she was pronounced dead on the way. Two individuals inside the second vehicle were said to have sustained minor injuries as a result of the accident.

An investigation into the fatal car accident is underway, but police do not have any reason to suspect that alcohol or drugs played a role in the collision. Most of San Pasqual Valley Road was closed so that police could investigate the scene, and the road closures lasted several hours. The car accident victim would have turned 21-years-old next month.