Driver identified after fatal crash, vehicle fire

BIG CREEK — Authorities have identified the victim of a fatal crash that occurred Thursday night. 

Around 9 p.m. Friday, the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office announced they had identified the deceased driver as Eric Rodriguez, approximately 25 years old. His next of kin have been notified.

The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office reported that an autopsy was conducted on the body found at 10:32 p.m. near the intersection of County Club Lane and Highwater Road in Shoshone County.  

Deputies determined the vehicle appeared to have been involved in a motor vehicle crash while traveling west on Country Club Lane. 

Shoshone Fire Districts No. 1 and 2 were able to extinguish the fire and first responders found a deceased male inside the full-sized truck. 

The vehicle was severely burnt and damaged, but deputies believe the vehicle to be a newer model of a full-size pickup, possibly a GMC 1500. 

The autopsy determined the driver was a male, possibly between the ages of 20 and 40, weighing at least 145 pounds.  

Sheriff Holly Lindsey said the department raced to try and identify the deceased man.

"We're working cooperatively with several agencies to try and expedite this process so that we can notify the victim’s family before social media does," Lindsey said.

Speed is believed to be a contributing circumstance in the fatality. 

Because the vehicle was engulfed in flames, officials initially had trouble identifying the driver and the sheriff’s office had sought the public's assistance in identifying the victim and notifying the next of kin.