Another High Speed Crash at the End of Route 125 Reignites Concern

The end of Route 125 in Santee was the scene of another high speed rollover crash Tuesday evening, a one-care accident that sent the sole driver to the hospital, according to CHP.

At 6:45 p.m. a car with one person inside came down the hill at the end of SR-125 at a high rate of speed, crossed Mission Gorge Road, flew into a dirt berm and landed on the other side of it, CHP said.

The driver had to be taken from the car with the "jaws of life" and airlifted to Sharp Memorial hospital with critical injuries, according to authorities. No other cars were involved in the crash.

Mission Gorge Road was closed for a time immediately following the crash and two lanes at the end of Route 125 were closed for much of the night.

First responding officers were reported that the smell of alcohol might have been at the scene and it didn't appear that breaks were applied as the car sped through Mission Gorge Road, Sgt. Scott Hill told NBC 7. Drugs and alcohol have not been confirmed as contributing to the accident.

That intersection has seen numerous crashes of this type over the years. Between 2006 and 2012 there were 61 traffic collisions at the intersection of Mission Gorge Road and SR-125, 14 caused by a DUI driver, 16 caused by speeding, and three deadly, according to the Sheriff's Department. Of the three deadly crashes, two were caused by DUI, one by a floor mat stuck on the accelerator.

Sgt. Scott Hill told NBC 7 that so many crashes occur at the intersection because drivers don't realize the freeway is coming to an end.

At a January meeting of the Santee City Council is was said that city staff were setting up meetings with Caltrans to discuss ideas to make the end of the freeway safer for motorists. Ideas discussed at the council meeting included reducing the width of the freeway at the end so it doesn't seem as much like a freeway and drivers will slow down, implementing a net type system or the more traditional sand bed or water barrels. Santee Patch will be following up with the city about this.

COMMENT: What do you think could be done to make the intersection safer?