Woman killed in San Bernardino crash was on phone with police dispatcher
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- A woman who was killed in a fiery crash in San Bernardino had been on the phone with a police dispatcher reporting a truck that nearly drove her off the road.
San Bernardino police responded to the intersection of North E and West 8th streets at about 11:20 p.m. Monday. Rachel Welch, 41, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A witness told authorities the woman was speeding when she lost control of her 1999 Chevrolet Lumina, veered onto the northbound lanes, drove onto the sidewalk, flipped over and crashed into a wall. Her car then burst into flames.
Moments before the crash, authorities say Welch was on the phone with a San Bernardino police dispatcher, and she may have been chasing after the truck to get a license plate number.
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"Indications are that Ms Welch was attempting to catch up to this truck prior to losing control of her vehicle," police said in a news release.
Police are now looking for the pickup truck, but so far, one surveillance video is all they have to work with. It shows the dark-colored pickup truck drive by, and seven seconds later, you see Welch's Chevy Lumina following behind.
Investigators believe Welch lost control of her car after she hit a bump in the road.
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The accident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective D. Peck at (909) 384-5664.
