Mariposa man killed in crash near Catheys Valley, CHP says

A Mariposa man was killed and a passenger suffered moderate injuries after a pickup truck drifted off the road and collided with oak trees on Highway 140, according to California Highway Patrol.

The 22-year-old driver was in a 2003 Ford F-150 with 25-year-old Mariposa resident Dallas Wheat in the passenger seat at about 5:44 p.m. Friday east on Highway 140. As they approached the east end of Trower Road north of Catheys Valley the driver failed to negotiate a moderate left curve in the road, according to a news release.

The pickup truck drifted onto the right shoulder of the road, colliding with a deep depression off the shoulder and into oak trees along the side of the road, the release states.

The driver wasn’t wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle, sustaining fatal injuries, according to the release. Wheat was wearing a seat belt and suffered moderate injuries.

Wheat was airlifted to Memorial Hospital in Modesto, the release states.

The cause of the collision was under investigation Monday. It was unknown whether drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.

Witnesses to the crash are being asked to call the Mariposa CHP office 209-966-3656.

This story was originally published October 1, 2018 at 10:11 AM.