Driver Killed as Car Veers Off Freeway

A 19-year-old man was killed early Thursday after his car inexplicably veered off the freeway, authorities said.

Brett Bandel of Orange was southbound on the Costa Mesa Freeway at 1:45 a.m. when his 1983 Volkswagen Jetta went off a dirt embankment, hit a tree and ended up in a drainage ditch, California Highway Patrol Officer Raul Malfavon said.

Bandel died at the scene. He was wearing his seat belt and was alone in the car, Malfavon said.

A nearby gas station attendant saw the car go over the embankment and called police.

Malfavon said there were no other witnesses to the crash, which occurred just north of the Katella Avenue exit.

The investigation is continuing. “Everything is still pretty much in the air,” Malfavon said. “We don’t know what caused it to go off, what lane he was in or what speed he was traveling.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the CHP’s accident investigation unit at (714) 567-6000.