March 17, 2016
At approximately 8:50 a.m. this morning, a 2006 Saab SUV carrying 37-year-old Arthur Walker of Escondido and his two-year-old son, Joseph, erupted into flames after veering off of Bear Valley Parkway near San Pasqual Valley Road and crashing head-first into a eucalyptus tree.
According to CHP Officer Jim Bettencourt, a 62-year-old motorist driving behind the SUV bore witness to the crash and frantically tried to help the trapped father and son. Upon realizing he could not assist the unresponsive driver, the good Samaritan hurried to pull the seriously injured toddler from the wreckage of his car seat to administer CPR.
Local resident Yvonne Reynoso, 48, says she heard someone crying out “Someone’s in the car, someone’s in the car!” However, other witnesses were unsuccessful at attempts to free Walker from his vehicle before the SUV erupted into flames.
Despite the efforts of paramedics transporting the child to Palomar Medical Center, it is reported that young Joseph died en route to the hospital.
It is not currently known what caused Walker to lose control of his vehicle, but investigators say that it appears that he did not attempt to apply the brakes of the Saab.
