A California Highway Patrol officer was killed when his cruiser crashed into a tree after responding to a call in Culver City Wednesday morning.
The incident occurred around 1 a.m. near Green Valley Circle and Bristol Parkway.
Video showed the CHP vehicle stopped behind a tree after driving up an embankment. The front hood and driver’s side door appeared to be open.
The cause of the crash was unclear, but the Culver City Police Department described the incident as a “major traffic investigation” in a post on X at 1:39 a.m.
The officer was later pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital.
During a news conference Wednesday morning, authorities said the officer driving the vehicle appeared to have lost consciousness before crashing.
The investigation into the incident was ongoing, but the spokesperson said the severity of the crash was not what would be expected for a fatal incident.
“We do not think the crash was consistent with fatal injuries,” the spokesperson said.
Bristol Parkway was closed in both directions from Green Valley Circle to Uplander Way due to the crash.
The public was urged to avoid the area.