3 killed in car fire on Hwy 101 early Sunday morning

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) -- The California Highway Patrol is asking for the public to help investigators figure out what happened in the moments before a fiery crash off Highway 101 South just before Story Road early Sunday morning.

"We're still searching for witnesses," explained CHP spokesman, Ryan Fifield. "As of this point, we don't have any witnesses that observed the collision. So if anybody at two o'clock this morning saw anything, please call."

Just before 2 a.m., the driver of a red Infinity sedan veered off the freeway and hit at least two trees before his car burst into flames. Three people inside the car, two men and one woman, died.

"It's just tragic," Officer Fifield said, looking at the scorched earth at the crash site.

CHP investigators haven't ruled anything out as a cause.

"Were they cut off? Did they fall asleep? Was it alcohol related," Fifield asked. "A lot of things we just don't know right now."

Fifiled says most crashes can be prevented with route planning, safe speeds, and safe travel distances.

"That way you're not going to be making any abrupt movements," he explained. "You're going to have time to react to traffic and you have your best chances of not causing a collision."

The CHP is hoping to hear from anyone who saw the crash, or saw a red Infinity sedan in the area of 101 South near Story Road in San Jose in the moments before 2:00 a.m. Sunday. Call Officer Miguel Camarena at (408) 467-5400.