Police: Driver falls asleep and crashes into pole; passenger dies

Police identified the driver of the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado that crashed on the freeway early Thursday morning as James Edward Hale, 26, of California.

The crash happened on I-10 West at Transmountain at about 2:56 a.m.

Hale allegedly fell asleep at the wheel, causing the pickup to veer off the road and strike a metal pole, police said.

The pickup caught fire and one of the passengers in the vehicle, an unidentified male, died at the scene, police added.

Another passenger was transported to a hospital with life threatening injuries. Hale sustained minor injuries.