Wreckage of car that exploded in eastern San Diego County

Wreckage of car that exploded in eastern San Diego County

A car has exploded and its driver instantly killed on a stretch of road near the border between the U.S. and Mexico early on Thursday.

Before it exploded, Border Patrol agents first noticed the vehicle, which was wearing Texas number plates, driving down a border highway in the wrong direction.

They began to pursue it and managed to stop the vehicle using spike strips on Old Highway 80, just off Interstate 8 about 10 miles north of the border and 40 miles east of San Diego, according to ABC News.  

When Border Patrol agents approached and requested the driver to step out, the car exploded. The driver was killed and an agent injured on his arms and face by fire. The agent was later airlifted to the hospital and fortunately only suffered minimal injuries.

Local authorities are yet to determine the cause of the explosion or the identity of the driver. The San Diego Sheriff's Department is currently investigating the incident.

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