One person killed after vehicle slams into pole on Franklin Boulevard in rural Sacramento County

A man died Tuesday in a south Sacramento crash in which a vehicle burst into flames upon sliding down an embankment and crashing into a pole.

The California Highway Patrol received a call about 7:16 a.m. for an incident at Franklin Boulevard and Core Road, a two-lane road southwest of Elk Grove. A Ford Fusion crashed into a pole and caught fire, according Officer Mark Leavitt, a spokesman for the CHP’s South Sacramento office.

The identity of the driver is expected to be released by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office. He was the vehicle’s sole occupant.

Leavitt said in an email the cause behind the crash is still under investigation. It’s unknown if alcohol or drug intoxication caused the man to crash, he added in a news release.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District was also dispatched to inspect the pole.

This story was originally published January 2, 2024 at 11:31 AM.