
Big Bear City, Ca, August 11, 2010, 10:30am According to the Big Bear City Fire Department and California Highway Patrol, at approximately 1:45 am on Wednesday, August 11, 2010, fire crews responded to the 300 block of Greenspot for a report of a vehicle accident into a house. Upon arrival, a 2009 Pontiac G6 was found upside down between two houses with two occupants, Casey Steven Vargo, age 40, and James Passmoore, age 41, of Big Bear City. One house was damaged as a result of the accident; with no injuries to the occupants of the house. It took crews approximately 30 minutes to extricate the driver, Vargo; unfortunately he sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. Passmoore, the passenger of the vehicle had no major injuries, and was not transported. Both Vargo and Passmoore were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision. According to CHP Vargo was driving at an unknown high rate of speed when the vehicle hit a wooden trash bin along the east side of the road, became airborne before hitting the garage. The cause of the collision is still under investigation. Highway 38 was closed for approximately 4 hours, and has since reopened. The Big Bear Lake Fire Department assisted with the rescue as part of the mutual aid system.