Student killed in Mariposa County crash, officials confirm. Other teen has major injuries
A Mariposa County student was killed in a solo vehicle crash down a hillside into a tree, officials said Wednesday.
The 18-year-old was driving a 2001 Ford F-250 about 7:45 p.m. Tuesday with a 15-year-old passenger on Darrah Road west of Deer Springs Road, the California Highway Patrol said.
The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, allowed the Ford to drift onto the shoulder before steering it back onto the road, CHP said.
The vehicle began to rotate and crossed both lanes of the road before descending down the hill south of the road and hitting an oak tree, CHP said.
The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and the 15-year-old was flown to Valley Children’s Hospital north of Fresno with major injuries, CHP said.
Mariposa County School District on Tuesday night confirmed the driver was a student in the district.
“We are grieving with you, and want to make sure you know that we will have counselors on campus (Wednesday) for anyone that needs extra support,” a district Facebook post said Tuesday. “Please hug your loved ones tight and check on each other tonight.”
