Man dies at the wheel, causes solo car wreck in Encinitas

A man died while driving on the evening of May 6 and crashed his car in Encinitas on Encinitas Boulevard at Vulcan Avenue, authorities said.

The three passengers in the mini-van, who were related to the man, said the driver rolled his head backward and passed out about 5:30 p.m., according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. The vehicle then veered right off the roadway and flipped onto its side.

The man, who has not yet been identified, had to be extricated by the fire department and was taken to Scripps Hospital Encinitas. The emergency doctor informed authorities that because of the statements from the family, he believed the driver died from congestive heart failure.

The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause of death.

The three passengers were not injured as a result of the collision, and there was no property damage except to the van and shrubbery.