One person died and a driver was arrested after a crash overnight just east of Redding. Just before 1am fire, medical and law enforcement responded to Highway 44 east of Airport Road to find a Chevy Equinox on fire. Three of the four occupants had gotten out but the front seat passenger was trapped and she died in the fire. She was a 64-year-old woman whose name has not yet been released. The other two passengers, 59-year-old Robert Clark and 57-year-old Ines Bruno, were hospitalized with major injuries, as was the driver, 58-year-old Phillip Applegate. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs. A CHP officer suffered smoke inhalation and burns to the hands. The fire spread to vegetation and burned about a quarter acre.
– Steve Gibson