Rodeo Man Dies When SUV Careens Off Carquinez Bridge

RODEO, CA — A young Rodeo man was one of four people killed Tuesday night when an SUV plunged off the Carquinez Bridge, California Highway Patrol officials said.

He has been identified as Christopher Mata, 21. The other victims were Perla Navarro, 19, of Richmond; Kyle Erickson, 19, of Pittsburg; and Cecilia Ayala, 22, of Hayward.

Multiple people called the CHP at about 8:40 p.m. to report a car careening off eastbound Interstate Highway 80, just east of Pomona Street in Crockett, CHP Officer Damian Cistaro said.

Authorities believe the SUV, a 2006 white Infiniti, was the only car involved. The car went off the southern end of the bridge and landed on a train about 200 feet below, CHP Officer Miguel Camarena said.

The train was not in motion at the time of the incident, according to the CHP.

Fire department personnel extricated the four people from the SUV and they were pronounced dead at the scene.

The CHP says Ayala was the driver. Everyone in the car had their seatbelts on.

A dash cam video posted to YouTube shows the moment when the SUV loses control on the bridge.

Several witnesses reported seeing the SUV land near the C & H Sugar factory, according to CHP dispatchers. At 8:46 p.m., traffic was stopped at the curve near C & H Sugar, where many motorists pulled to the right shoulder.

By 10:30 p.m., the bridge, ramps and all lanes of I-80 were open to through traffic; however, emergency personnel remained on scene well past midnight.

CHP is investigating the fatal incident and asks anyone who has information that may be helpful in the investigation to call the Solano Area CHP Office at 707-428-2100.

— Patch editors Maggie Fusek, Bea Karnes and Bay City News Service contributed to this report