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UPDATE: One dead, three injured after overturned vehicle catches fire off Highway 101 in Atascadero

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Posted at 2:22 PM, Jul 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-07 22:41:49-04

UPDATE (7:28 p.m.): The CHP has released more details surrounding this collision.

Officers say around 2:00 p.m Sunday, 20-year-old Grant Cosko of Burlingame, CA was driving a 2007 Lexus G47 northbound on US-101 near Del Rio Road with passengers: 20-year-old Adam Joss of Menlo Park, 20-year-old Carter Norton of Redwood City, and 20-year-old Kyle Leventhal of San Mateo.

Cosko suddenly swerved towards the right shoulder and then abruptly tried to reenter back into traffic, causing the vehicle to turn hard to the left, according to the CHP.

Officers say the vehicle continued to travel off the roadway, causing it to overturn in the grass embankment.

Several people stopped to help the four men get out of the car before the Lexus was fully engulfed in flames, according to the CHP.

Cosko, Joss, and Norton all sustained minor to moderate injuries and were transported to Twin Cities Hospital.

Passenger 20-year-old Kevin Leventhal was pronounced dead on scene.

Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor in this collision.

The CHP's investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to call the CHP Templeton Office at (805) 434-1822.

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UPDATE (4:45 p.m.): All lanes northbound on Highway 101 are back open according to CHP.

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UPDATE (4:07 p.m.): The right lane on northbound 101 near Atascadero is closed as crews respond to the crash.

Traffic was being diverted earlier.

Drivers can expect delays if they are traveling north on the 101.

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UPDATE (3:01 p.m.): Officials say one person is dead and two others are injured after an overturned vehicle caught fire and caused a vegetation fire off Highway 101 in Atascadero.

According to CHP officers, the Highway 101 northbound off-ramp at Del Rio Road where the incident took place will be closed for approximately one hour.

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An overturned vehicle caught fire, resulting in a vegetation fire after a traffic collision off Highway 101 northbound in Atascadero Sunday afternoon.

At about 2 p.m., CHP officials say Atascadero police officers responded to reports of an overturned vehicle on its roof and on fire near the Del Rio Road off-ramp.

CHP says the traffic collision also caused a vegetation fire nearby.

The Atascadero Police Department and CAL FIRE SLO are assisting CHP with the incident.

CHP Templeton did not immediately respond to calls from KSBY News.

KSBY is sending a crew to the scene to obtain more information.

This story is developing.

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Note: KSBY News has edited this story to correct the location of the incident from Templeton to Atascadero.