Testing the performance limits of your car is a temptation many of us toy with. But while figuring out your car’s true top speed or canyon-carving abilities may seem like a fun way to enjoy your ride, things can easily go wrong, ending in tragedy. In Vista, California, a 19-year-old man found this out the hard way on Tuesday January 14^th as his ’98 Camaro ultimately took his life after a high-speed drive resulted in the loss of control, roll, and fiery ending to a seemingly innocent drive. Check out the video above from Fox San Diego for the details.

Image: Fox San Diego

The fatal car accident happened around 1:30 a.m. on the morning of January 14^th near the Shadowridge Plaza shopping center in the 1300 block of Sycamore Avenue.

Upon arriving at the scene, emergency personnel found the severely mangled 1998 Camaro resting on its roof fully engulfed in flames. The driver, whose name is yet to be released pending identification from the Medical Examiner’s Office, was discovered deceased once the flames had been extinguished.

Following further investigation into the crash, investigators determined that the Camaro hit a curb at a high rate of speed before careening onto the sidewalk and hitting a concrete sign and an electrical box. The car then rolled and caught fire.

At the scene, investigators were approached by another young man who claimed to be the Camaro driver’s friend. He stated that his friend had wanted to test the performance limits of his car and asked that he, the friend, follow him in case anything happened. Only further investigation will determine just how fast the driver was going when he lost control.

This is a tragic situation accentuated by the fact that the crash and man’s death could have been prevented. As we said before, testing the performance limits of your vehicle can be tempting, but finding a proper venue to do so is the only way to go forward with the plan. Until everyone realizes this, we will continue to see tragic car accidents.