Driver killed in car crash and fire off Highway 41
One person died in a car crash and fire after the vehicle careened over the edge of Highway 41 near Morro Bay on Monday evening.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a “major crash” with a vehicle “over the side on fire” occurred around 10:45 p.m. on Highway 41 near Bear Ridge Road, between Atascadero and Morro Bay.
An unidentified driver in a 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser was driving southbound on Highway 41 “at an unknown speed and for unknown reasons lost control of the vehicle,” the CHP said in a news release.
The vehicle traveled off the roadway 350 feet down a descending embankment and became fully engulfed in flames, the agency said.
The driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, died of his injuries at the scene.
It is unknown at this time whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash, the CHP said.
The roadway was closed due to the crash, with the CHP asking drivers to find an alternate route. By Tuesday morning, the crash had been cleared.
“CHP reminds everyone to slow down, don’t drive distracted and always have a high visual horizon for what is happening in front of you,” San Luis Obipso Commander Capt. Mike Brown said in the release.
The agency asks anyone who witnessed the crash or may have information to contact Officer K. Villara at 805-594-8700.
This story was originally published October 21, 2025 at 11:27 AM.
