Woman killed after car tumbles down embankment on Hwy. 41

A woman was killed Wednesday afternoon in a weather-related car crash on Highway 41 west of Atascadero, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The woman — who investigators believe was about 19 years old — was driving south on Highway 41 near Old Morro Road West about 12:45 p.m. when she lost control of her vehicle, said Officer Jordan Richards, a CHP spokesman.

The vehicle, a maroon Isuzu Rodeo, lost traction and veered down an embankment about 10 feet off the road, Richards said. The driver's side of the vehicle struck a tree, cracking the tree in half and sending the top of it into the road.

The vehicle then tumbled 25 to 30 feet down the embankment, Richards said. The woman, who wasn't wearing a seatbelt, was partially ejected from the car, the CHP said.

Emergency responders found the vehicle about 12:58 p.m., when crews responded to the scene to remove the tree from the road.

Investigators are working to determine the woman's identity and will notify her next of kin before releasing her name, Richards said.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing, and it's unknown whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash, he said.

This story was originally published March 21, 2018 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Woman killed after car tumbles down embankment on Hwy. 41."