Driver in fatal fiery Lakeville Highway truck crash identified

A man killed in a fiery big rig crash on Lakeville Highway almost two weeks ago has been identified as Melvin Leiva of Los Angeles.

Leiva, 31, was the driver of a Dehal Trucking rig, which drifted off the rural highway on June 29 about 11:45 a.m. and smashed into a tree. The truck burst into flame on impact and Leiva was unable toescape.

Flames spread to nearby grass and caused a small fire. The emergency response and the fatal crash investigation resulted in a seven-mile stretch of the major route being closed for 17 hours.

CHP officials had suspected Leiva was the driver but because of the fire, a forensic dentist was brought in to verify his identify through dental records. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office released his name Monday.

The crash happened near Old Lakeville Road No. 2, an area where rows of eucalyptus trees form a tunnel along the highway. The CHP said the cause of the crash was due to an unsafe turn.

Dehal Trucking is based in Manteca.

-Randi Rossmann