Early Friday morning, a 2001 Lexus SUV carrying two young men veered off California State Route 36 just west of the North Shore Campground near Lake Almanor in the town of Chester, California and rolled down a steep embankment amid brush and trees. According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the crash happened somewhere between late Thursday night and early Friday morning.
The two victims have been identified as a 26-year-old man from Oroville, California and 23-year-old Jace Turner of Magalia, California. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The CHP notes that neither occupant was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Investigators say the SUV rolled multiple times before settling, and the vehicle path indicates it left the roadway at an undetermined speed. Officials believe alcohol may have been a contributing factor, though the investigation is ongoing and no final cause has been determined. Next-of-kin have been notified.
The area where the crash occurred is a winding, rural stretch of Route 36 just west of Lake Almanor, with steep slopes and dense brush off the roadway — a terrain that magnifies the consequences when a vehicle leaves the pavement. The report underscores how a single momentary loss of control on such roads can turn fatal.
Local law-enforcement sources emphasize this tragedy as a grim reminder of the dangers inherent in impaired driving and traveling unbelted: when combined with high-speed maneuvers, curves, and embankments, the risks multiply dramatically. In this case, the lack of seatbelt use meant neither occupant had the extra protection that could have made a difference.
The CHP continues to gather evidence — including data from the scene, vehicle history, any skid-marks or avoidance maneuvers, and toxicology — as it works to reconstruct the sequence of events. Final toxicology and official crash report findings are still pending.
Friends and family of the two young men are now left grappling with a sudden and devastating loss. Authorities and community members alike say that while accidents like this are tragically all too common on rural highways, each one still hits like a wake-up call: reminding us that speed, impairment and no seatbelt are a deadly mix, especially where the margin for error is so small.