Driver, 18, who crashed into unoccupied CHP vehicle on I-8 dies of injuries

An 18-year-old driver who crashed into an unoccupied California Highway Patrol vehicle parked in the fast lane and center divide of Interstate 8 in La Mesa on Saturday died two days later in a hospital, officials said.

The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, crashed his Nissan Sentra into the patrol car on westbound I-8 just east of El Cajon Boulevard shortly before noon on Saturday, CHP Officer Josh Grieshaber said in a news release.

The man suffered major injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where he died Monday. The county Medical Examiner’s Office identified him as Eugene Nelson. The CHP said he was a La Mesa resident.

The crash occurred as CHP officers were responding to two separate, solo-vehicle crashes reported shortly before 11:30 a.m. Both vehicles were blocking the freeway’s center divide and far left lane, officials said.

One of the CHP officers parked his patrol vehicle in the fast lane and partially within the center divider for scene safety, Grieshaber said. The emergency lights on the patrol vehicle were activated, he said.

The officer was out of his vehicle when Nelson lost control of his sedan on the wet roadway just after 11:45 a.m., Grieshaber said. The Nissan struck the rear of the empty CHP vehicle. That started a chain reaction, pushing the patrol vehicle into one of the previously crashed vehicles, Grieshaber said. That vehicle then struck the second vehicle.

Nelson suffered major injuries and was taken to a hospital. No other injuries were reported.

Grieshaber said officers believe Nelson had been driving at an unsafe speed for the wet and rainy road conditions when he hit the patrol car.

It is not known if drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash, he said.

Nelson was “such a light to everyone around him and never failed to be the life of the party. He was dedicated in everything he put his mind to and was known for his infectious laugh,” one of his close friends wrote on the GoFundMe post. “Junior got along with everyone and found friends wherever he went. He was loved by so many and will be missed terribly by all who knew him.”

As of Thursday afternoon, more than $26,900 had been donated to the fund.

The incident is under investigation.