One Dead in DUI Crash into Tree in Santa Cruz Mountains, CHP Reports
California Highway Patrol (CHP) has reopened portions of Highway 9 in the Santa Cruz Mountains following a fatal crash that occurred Thursday night.
The incident took place around 10:17 p.m. near Two Bar Road, north of Boulder Creek. According to CHP, a California State Parks Ranger attempted to pull over the driver of a black 2014 Mazda 3. The driver failed to stop, leading to a brief pursuit.
For reasons still under investigation, the vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a tree. The 36-year-old driver, a resident of Boulder Creek, was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident and succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Authorities suspect that alcohol may have played a role in the crash, and the investigation is ongoing.
