Jeep crashes into power pole and flips into drain ditch

A Merced driver who attempted to pass a cement truck on Highway 59 on Friday crashed his Jeep into a power pole before flipping the vehicle into a drainage ditch, California Highway Patrol officers said.

Near Jefferson Road, a Jeep crashed into a power pole and flipped into a drain ditch, California Highway Patrol officers said.

Trevor Shivers, 40, was driving northbound on Highway 59 when he attempted to pass the truck sometime after 11 a.m., according to the CHP. Shivers appears to have underestimated the speed of a car approaching from the opposite direction, Sgt. Luis Lara said.

Shivers swerved back into the right lane and lost control of the vehicle, Lara said. He then hit a power pole and then rolled into a drain ditch, Lara said.

Shivers and a 60-year-old passenger, Joel Cadriel of Merced, both were underwater and managed to get out of the Jeep without major injuries, CHP officials said.

“We’re lucky to be alive,” Shivers said.

Lara said Cadriel was taken by helicopter to receive medical attention.

The driver of the cement truck, Richard Gamez, said he tried to slow down as much as he could, keeping the cars behind him in mind, and he saw the Jeep swerve in front of him before it hit the power pole.

Michele Marovich witnessed the accident.

“They went straight across and flipped and then there was dust,” Marovich said. “I pulled over and I was waiting for the cloud to clear.”

Lara said PG&E was called out to fix the power lines.

This story was originally published August 12, 2016 at 4:44 PM with the headline "Jeep crashes into power pole and flips into drain ditch."