A solo vehicle accident on E. Louise Avenue claimed the life of a motorist early Tuesday morning.

According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, officers were dispatched to the scene shortly after 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday when a call came in that a driver had veered off the roadway and crashed into a fence near the TEC Equipment Truckyard on the outskirts of Lathrop’s city limits.

The driver reportedly became impaled on a fence implement upon hitting the fence on one side of the road before careering across and coming to rest of the other side of the road. The driver – who, pending notification of next of kin, has not been identified by authorities – died at the scene.

Lathrop Police Services and Lathrop Fire District responded to the calls. Louise Avenue was closed in both directions for more than three hours on Tuesday morning while an investigation is completed.

The cause of the accident is currently investigated. No additional information was made available by authorities.

The accident was the second vehicle fatality in Lathrop this year after a pedestrian in River Islands was struck by a motorist and killed back in March. In that incident, 74-year-old Bhajan Singh was walking near Michael Vega Park in River Islands when he was struck by a vehicle and ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.