Escondido

One man was killed and two others were seriously injured when a pickup truck ran off the southbound side of Interstate 15 early Sunday morning.

All three men were thrown from the truck, which rolled over several times before coming to a stop on the west side of the freeway, about a mile south of Felicita Road, according to CHP Officer Vergal McCallister. None of the victims was wearing a seat belt, McCallister said.

The cause of the accident was unknown.

The driver of the truck, Jose G. Contreras, 31, of Canyon Country, was dead at the scene of the 4:10 a.m. accident. Passengers Javier Contreras, 30, also of Canyon Country, and Jesus Meza, 42, of Lancaster were admitted to Palomar Medical Center.

Meza was in critical condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit with abdominal and chest injuries and a fractured left elbow, a hospital spokeswoman said. Contreras was in fair condition with a concussion and cut neck, she said.