Erie News Now has new information on that local van crash and fire that's turned into a death investigation.


We now know the identity of the man who died.

It all happened Monday night, East of Route 97 near Interstate 90.


A van apparently went off the road, hit a drainage ditch, and caught fire. First responders found the badly burned body of a middle aged man inside.


After an autopsy Wednesday afternoon, the coroner's office confirms the victim was a 39-year old Bhutanese immigrant named Deepak Pakhring.


According to Erie County Coroner, Lyell Cook, "We don't have an explanation as to why this occurred, why the incident occurred. Hopefully, we'll be able to get some answers. It doesn't happen overnight."

No official cause of death yet, but the coroner said Pakhring was alive when the vehicle caught fire.


Toxicology test results aren't expected back for about six weeks.