BP Agent Killed In Crash

**Willowdared** · 03-30-08, 01:24 PM

On-duty Border Patrol agent dies on single-vehicle crash

UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM
9:50 a.m. March 30, 2008
EAST COUNTY – A 28-year-old U.S. Border Patrol agent died early Sunday after a single-vehicle crash in rural East County, officials said.

The Medical Examiner's Office identified the agent as Jared Dittman. U.S. Border Patrol officials have not confirmed the victim's name.

The accident happened just before 1 a.m. on Otay Lakes Road just west of state Route 94.

The agent had started his shift at midnight and was driving a Jeep Wrangler to his patrol area near Jamul, said Richard Smith, a supervising agent for the U.S. Border Patrol. Smith said the agency does not yet know the reason for the crash and released few details Sunday morning. A second agent, also on his way to patrol the same region, came upon the wreck and called emergency crews, Smith said.

The injured agent was taken to a hospital where he died at 2 a.m.

Smith said the agent is married, with a child. Originally from Pennsylvania, the agent lived in San Diego. He had been working as a border patrol agent for more than a year.

The cause of the crash is being investigated by the California Highway Patrol.