MADERA - Madera Police are investigating the mysterious death of Luis Echevarria from Madera.  The thirty-three year was found behind the wheel of his 2004 BMW by Cal-Fire who were responding to a car on fire in front of Lincoln Elementary School on Liberty and Barton Streets.

The fire was reported a little after midnight Tuesday morning on Madera’s west-side. Police and fire arrived on the scene within minutes to a fully engulfed vehicle. Once firefighters put out the fire the victim’s body was discovered in the drivers-side front seat and a fire scene then turned into a crime scene.

The streets around Lincoln School were closed off for most of the early morning hours while police investigated the fire. Police learned that the victim had been in the area at a friend’s house where he was drinking. Police are waiting for toxicology reports to come back to determine if the man was too impaired to drive.

Surveillance video from the area showed that smoke began to come out from the engine compartment of the vehicle and within minutes flames engulfed the car. Police do not know if the victim was sleeping in the vehicle and possibly was overcome by the smoke and flames.

We will have more information on this incident as it becomes available. Check back with BVN for further updates

(Photo by Madera Police)