Man found dead after SUV slips off road into Merced River near Yosemite, CHP says

An unidentified man died when he was thrown from a vehicle that crashed into the Merced River near El Portal, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The man was driving a 1991 Chevrolet SUV west on Highway 140, approaching Crane Creek Road in Mariposa County in rainy conditions when the vehicle lost traction with the roadway, according to a CHP Madera news release.

The SUV spun across the eastbound lane onto the south shoulder of the road, where it continued down a steep embankment and overturned, the release states. The vehicle landed upside down partially submerged in the Merced River.

The driver was ejected from the vehicle. He died at the scene, according to the release.

Authorities received a call about the fatal crash at about 5:20 p.m. Sunday, the release states. Yosemite National Park employees and the Mariposa County Search and Rescue team searched for any additional people who may have been involved, but no one was located as of Monday.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation Monday.