Lamorinda Crash Victim Identified

LAMORINDA, CA — A man who was badly burned in a single-vehicle crash west of Moraga on Tuesday afternoon died later that same day, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office.

Philip Gardner, 54, of Martinez, crashed his car at about 2 p.m. on Canyon Road, roughly 2 miles west of Moraga.

When fire crews arrived, they found his burning vehicle about 40 feet from the road and down an embankment in a small creek area, with Gardner on the ground nearby but still responsive, according to Moraga-Orinda Fire Chief Stephen Healy.

The car fire ignited about an acre of grass and brush that was quickly extinguished by fire crews, Healy said.

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Gardner, who suffered third-degree burns over much of his body, was airlifted to the burn center at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, where he died, Moraga police Chief Jon King said.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock