Driver ejected from vehicle in fatal Highway 152 crash near Los Banos, CHP says

A driver was ejected from a vehicle and fatally injured Saturday in crash reported on Highway 152, west of Los Banos, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Los Banos area CHP officers responded to the scene just after 4 a.m. on eastbound Highway 152, west of the Romero Visitor Center, according to a CHP news release.

According to investigating officers, the male driver and solo occupant of the vehicle were traveling eastbound in a white Mini Cooper at an unknown speed. For unknown reasons, the vehicle left the roadway and traveled onto the south shoulder, where it crashed into a metal guardrail.

After the impact, the vehicle veered left across the eastbound lanes and collided with a center median guardrail north of the roadway.

Authorities said the driver was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle.

The driver died his at the scene and was pronounced dead at about 4:31 a.m., according to the CHP. His name is being withheld pending coroner verification.

The crash remains under investigation, the CHP said.