A Santa Cruz man died early Saturday morning in a solo vehicle accident near 1750 Hecker Pass Highway, according to a press release from the Gilroy Police Department.Â
The man, originally reported by the GPD as being 34, is actually 33 years old and his name is Azmi Munoz-Montesino, according to the Santa Clara County Medical-Examiner Coroner’s Office.
GPD officers responded to the accident around 2:23 a.m. Upon their arrival, emergency personnel determined that a vehicle had collided with a tree and the solo driver, Munoz-Montesino, sustained fatal injuries. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. The collision caused a fire underneath the vehicle, which was extinguished by emergency personnel, the press release reads.Â
A preliminary investigation indicates the vehicle may be associated with reports of a hit-and-run traffic collision – which occurred just prior to the fatal Hecker Pass accident – with parked vehicles near First and Hanna streets in Gilroy, police say.Â
The cause of the accident that killed the Santa Cruz driver is still under investigation, according to authorities.Â
“The investigation will determine what caused the collision and if alcohol or other intoxicants may have contributed to the collision,” the press release reads.Â
The investigation is currently being investigated by the Gilroy Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT). Anyone who has information regarding this incident is urged to contact Officer Rene Arbizu at (408) 846-0350. Parties wishing to remain anonymous may call WeTip at 1-800-782-7436 (1-800-78-Crime)