Merced County man suffers major injuries in suspected DUI crash, CHP says

A Merced County man was taken to the hospital with major injuries following a crash over the weekend, according to the California Highway Patrol.

According to authorities, officers responded to Snelling Road, south of Highway 59 at about 5:45 p.m. Saturday, for a solo vehicle crash involving a 2000 Toyota Tundra.

According to Officer Eric Zuniga, the driver of the vehicle, Billy Holtzclaw, 47, of Atwater, was traveling southbound on Snelling Road at an unknown speed.

For unknown reasons, the vehicle drifted onto the west shoulder.

The driver corrected the vehicle toward the left and lost control. The vehicle traveled across the northbound lane and off the roadway, crashing into a tree, according to Zuniga.

Authorities said the vehicle sustained major damage in the crash and Holtzclaw was flown to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto with major injuries.

According to Zuniga, the driver was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence and released to the care of the hospital due to his injuries.

This story was originally published January 13, 2020 at 2:46 PM.