OAKHURST – A single vehicle rollover on Highway 41 near Oakhurst blocked traffic for about 40 minutes this evening just north of Cedar Valley.
Just before 6:30 p.m., a 48-year-old Santa Cruz man was southbound on Highway 41 while apparently under the influence, and traveling at unsafe speeds, according to CHP.
As the driver rounded a left-hand corner, he veered off the right shoulder striking the embankment, then crossed back over both lanes of traffic, rolling his Ford Expedition once, and crashing off the east side of the road. A tree stopped him from continuing on down the very steep embankment.
The driver was not injured in the crash, but after failing field sobriety tests at the scene, he was placed under arrest for suspicion of Driving Under the Influence, and transported to the Madera County Department of Corrections where he was booked into jail.
Bulldog Towing dragged the Expedition back up onto the roadway and personnel from Madera County Fire Stations 18 and 12 responded to the scene, along with Sierra Ambulance. After it was determined that no one had been injured, firefighters directed traffic around the accident, and Sierra Ambulance was released to respond to other emergencies.
No other vehicles were involved, but traffic control was in place for about 40 minutes. The accident is under investigation.
