Santa Fe Christian student, 16, dies in crash

Just three weeks after Torrey Pines senior Alex Capozza died in an accident on La Granada in Rancho Santa Fe, an early morning crash claimed the life of Santa Fe Christian junior William Wardrip, 16, on San Dieguito Road in Fairbanks Ranch.

Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District was first on the scene in the 17000 block of San Dieguito Road on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 3:35 a.m. The single-car crash occurred close to the firehouse in Fairbanks Ranch where the vehicle went off the roadway on a curve and rolled over.

Upon arrival, the firefighters found one vehicle off the road with three occupants outside. A fourth needed to be extricated from the car, a 1999 Lexus GL 470 SUV.

The fifth passenger, William, had been ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The young man, a resident of Encinitas, had been riding in the backseat and was not wearing a seat belt.

The driver and three other passengers were unhurt but were taken to a

hospital for a precautionary evaluation because of the rollover, he said. A dispatcher with the Northcomm fire dispatching agency said three were taken to hospitals.

Alcohol and drugs were not deemed factors in the crash and it is unknown how fast the vehicle was going when the driver, 17, lost control, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Newbury.

On Monday morning, mourners brought flowers to the crash site, still heavily littered with glass. One friend left a rock with a Bible verse written on it.

The roadway was completely closed for about four hours, California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Newbury said.