Councilman Lee’s Father Dies in Crash

The father of Fillmore City Councilman Scott Lee was killed Saturday night when he lost control of his car on California 126, plunged down an embankment and flipped his vehicle several times.

Claude Lee, 78, of Fillmore, was thrown from his car and died at the scene, officials with the California Highway Patrol said. The county coroner’s office said he died of head and chest injuries.

Authorities said Lee was driving westbound near Camulos Monument around 6:30 p.m. when he veered between two vehicles and began fishtailing.

He then swerved down a six-foot embankment on the north side of the highway and rolled the car several times, police said.

One of the motorists he had passed stopped to assist Lee, and found that he had been ejected.

Officers said Lee had been traveling in excess of 80 mph. It was unknown whether he was wearing a seat belt, officers said.

Scott Lee said his father, a retired controller at Rancho Sespe, had been returning from his job at a souvenir shop at Magic Mountain when the accident occurred. His father had reported feeling ill when he left the amusement park, he said.

“Luckily no one else was hurt,” said Lee, 53.

In addition to Scott Lee, an 11-year veteran of the Fillmore City Council, Claude Lee is survived by a daughter, Claudia Cunningham of Fillmore; three other sons, Christopher of Fillmore, Jay of Providence, R.I., and Mark of San Antonio; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death in 1994 by his wife, Mary Ruth.

Funeral services are still pending. Arrangements are under the direction of Skillin-Carroll Mortuary of Fillmore.