Authorities Investigate East County Three-Vehicle Crashes as Dehesa Road Collisions Highlight Ongoing Safety Risks

Investigation continues after fatal East County three-vehicle collisions

Authorities in San Diego’s East County are continuing to investigate a fatal three-vehicle collision that occurred in the Crest-area corridor near Dehesa Road and Sloan Canyon Road, a rural stretch that has seen multiple serious crashes in recent years. The case remains open, with officials still working to determine the sequence of events and whether impairment, distraction, or other factors played a role.

The collision was reported on July 19, 2025, at approximately 6:49 p.m. at the intersection of Dehesa Road and Sloan Canyon Road in the unincorporated Crest community east of El Cajon. Three vehicles were involved, and one vehicle rolled over. A medical examiner response was requested that evening, indicating a fatality at the scene.

What investigators have established so far

In the days following the crash, investigators released additional details identifying the decedent and describing a preliminary crash path. A 60-year-old El Cajon resident, later identified as Marie Anderson, was driving a 2018 Nissan Sentra westbound on Dehesa Road when the vehicle crossed over the center double-yellow lines and struck an oncoming 2007 Honda Pilot. The Nissan then continued into a second collision with a 2019 Ford F-150, which overturned onto the roadway.

• One person was pronounced dead at the scene.
• Three other people sustained injuries described as minor and were taken to area hospitals.
• The cause of the collision remained under investigation at the time details were released.

A separate East County crash underscores the stakes on regional routes

The Dehesa Road investigation unfolded against the backdrop of other high-severity crashes in East County. On July 18, 2025, a separate three-vehicle collision on State Route 67 near Iron Mountain Drive, south of Poway Road, was associated with a brush fire and resulted in five deaths. That incident prompted a response from specialized investigators and led to extended road closures and detours.

What happens next

In serious and fatal collisions, investigators typically reconstruct vehicle positions and movement using scene measurements, physical evidence, witness statements, and available video. Officials have indicated that video evidence was collected in connection with the State Route 67 crash; in East County investigations generally, such material can be used alongside forensic analysis to test competing explanations of how a collision began and how it escalated.

Drivers on rural East County roads can face narrow lanes, limited shoulders, and changing sightlines—conditions that can compound the consequences when a vehicle crosses the center line.

Authorities have urged anyone with information related to relevant East County collisions to contact the appropriate local law-enforcement office handling the investigation.