The 20-year-old victim in a Jan. 28 fatal accident and fire on Fairview Road died of blunt-force trauma, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office said Thursday.
Jacob Gonzalez, a 2009 graduate of San Benito High School, died in the single-vehicle accident at Fairview Road and Maranatha Drive after the vehicle crashed into a Eucalyptus tree, starting a fire.
The accident occurred at about 9 p.m. at the intersection, and Calfire and Hollister fire crews extinguished the flames.
The sheriff’s office, which acts as the county coroner, had the autopsy conducted Wednesday. Sgt. Tony Lamonica said Thursday that Gonzalez’s cause of death was blunt-force trauma.
Gonzalez had been attending Gavilan College and wanted to pursue a degree in criminal justice.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 4 at the Willow Heights Mansion in Morgan Hill. The family asks that instead of flowers, donations be sent to the San Benito County Animal Shelter 1331 South St. Hollister, CA 95023.
