OAKHURST — A single-vehicle crash on Highway 41 north of Oakhurst tonight ended with the driver being arrested for felony DUI and child endangerment.
Gregory Carroll, 56, was taken into custody after he rolled his Toyota Corolla near Whispering Pines Drive.
Witness Jeff Taylor and his wife are visiting from Ohio and were headed into Oakhurst from Yosemite National Park. They were southbound through the wide lanes just south of the Cedar Valley turnoff at about 9:14 p.m. when a car “went flying by” them on the sweeping curve.
As they came around the next corner, they spotted what looked like reflectors off the right shoulder of the road. It turned out to be tail lights from the Toyota, which was upside down in a mass of trees and brush, about 20 feet off the west side of the road.
The Taylors stopped to help, as did several other cars. The two occupants of the Toyota — Carroll and his minor son — were able to get out of the wrecked car and make it up to the roadway with help from Mr. Taylor.
According to Mr. Carroll, he was northbound when an oncoming car approached at an unsafe rate of speed in his lane, forcing him to take evasive action, which caused him to over-correct and crash off the west side of the road. Mr. Carroll says this was likely the car that “went flying by” the Taylors.
Madera County Fire Engine 18 and Squad 18 responded from Cedar Valley, along with Engine 12 out of Oakhurst, and firefighters directed traffic and rendered medical aid.
CHP officers talked to witnesses and administered a field sobriety test to Mr. Carroll, during which he exhibited clear signs of impairment. After refusing a breathalyzer, Carroll was placed under arrest and released to the custody of Sierra Ambulance for transport of a Madera hospital for treatment of a significant gash on his hand.
His minor son suffered lacerations and had complaints of pain, and was also transported for medical treatment.
The roadway was reduced to one-lane traffic as the scene was investigated and was closed completely for about 15 minutes as the tow truck dragged the overturned vehicle back up onto the roadway.
The scene was cleared by 10:35 p.m. The accident remains under investigation.
(This article was edited on Oct. 6 to reflect Mr. Carroll’s account of the incident)
