UPDATE: The California Highway Patrol confirmed to 23ABC that shortly after 1 a.m. Friday the driver of a vehicle was traveling towards Lake Isabella on Highway 178 when he suddenly veered off the roadway, struck a cement wall and traveled over the embankment.
Kern County Search and Rescue was called to the scene to locate any victims, but due to the lack of sunlight the had to resume the search in the morning. They eventually located a deceased male driver inside the car.
The crash shut down both lanes of Highway 178 at aroung 6 a.m.
Authorities do not know if drugs or alcohol played a factor in the accident.
UPDATE: The eastbound lanes of Highway 178 have been re-opened following a fatal crash early Friday morning.
Highway 178 in the Kern River Canyon is closed in both directions due to a fatal crash, according to the California Highway Patrol. CHP is asking drivers to choose an alternate route and expect delays.
Search and rescue dive teams are set to investigate a vehicle that went into the Kern River Friday morning.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a vehicle went into the river at about 2:15 a.m. Friday about three miles east of Powerhouse No. 1 near Tortilla Flat.
The CHP says it will likely be shut down for about two hours.
