The California Highway Patrol reports that an Esparto man died around midnight Sunday after he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a tree.
According to the CHP, the man, whose age was not known, was driving a 1999 Ford Explorer at around 12:05 a.m. westbound on County Road 25A just west of County Road 99, several miles south of Woodland at a high rate of speed.
The CHP reported the driver turned his steering wheel hard to the left for an unknown reason which caused the vehicle to cross into the eastbound lane.
The driver then over corrected and turned the steering wheel too hard to the right in a vain effort to get himself back into the westbound lane. However, the vehicle turned in a clockwise manner as it traveled from the eastbound lane, through the westbound lane and onto the north dirt shoulder.
The vehicle was facing north as it started sliding into a tree on the driver’s side.
The Ford Explorer burst into flames and was fully engulfed when firefighters and other emergency crews arrived.
According to the CHP report, the investigation is continuing and it is unknown if alcohol or drugs played a factor in the collision.
According to Fox 40, however, authorities said alcohol was a factor in the accident.
The victim has yet to be identified because of his burns. The Yolo County Coroner’s Office has taken over that aspect of the accident and will be working to identify the deceased before notifying next of kin. As of Monday afternoon, however, the individual had not been identified.
