The Shasta County Coroners Office has identified a man who was killed in a crash on Interstate 5 in Northern Shasta County early last Friday morning as 37-year-old Juan Diego Garcia-Mendez of Saucillo, Chihuaha, Mexico. He was among 17 passengers in a large Volkswagen van driven by 41-year-old Jose Sanchez Delvalle. The CHP says they were northbound south of Crag View Drive when Delvalle made an unsafe swerve to the right for unknown reasons. The van left the pavement and collided with several trees before coming to rest on the hillside. Apparently nobody was wearing a seatbelt and all 17 passengers had injuries ranging from minor to fatal. Delvalle, who had moderate injuries, fled the scene on foot. He was found about 3 hours later and arrested for hit and run. The CHP is still investigating.
-Steve Gibson