Stockton & San Joaquin County local news

Woman dies in early-morning solo car crash near Placerville

A 42-year-old woman died after a solo car crash near Placerville early Tuesday morning along Pony Express Trail, the California Highway Patrol reported.

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A Placerville driver died Tuesday along Pony Express Trail in El Dorado County. Officers are investigating whether the woman was sober at the wheel. The California Highway Patrol confirmed the single-vehicle incident.

Investigators were called to the scene at about 2:45 a.m. The 42-year-old victim drove a 2013 Volkswagen Passat. She travelled westbound along the roadway. The route runs parallel to U.S. Highway 50. The car ran off the side of the road east of Placerville.

A California Highway Patrol spokesperson said investigators believe the driver did not wear a seatbelt. She died at the scene.

The California Highway Patrol enforces traffic safety on county roadways and state highways. Officers investigate collision causes and secure vehicle crash sites.

The agency continues to investigate the fatal event near Placerville.

Reuben Castellane

Reuben Castellane covers public safety in Stockton: the Stockton Police Department, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office and the downtown courthouse. He reads the charging documents and the court calendar so readers get the facts behind each case, not just the arrest.

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