SANTA CRUZ — An 81-year-old man died Monday afternoon after driving his 2016 Chevrolet Spark into a utility pole on Soquel Drive in Santa Cruz.
According to California Highway Patrol Officer Sam Courtney, the man was traveling westbound on the busy section of Soquel Drive near Stanley Avenue when, for an unknown reason, he crossed into opposing traffic, driving onto the sidewalk and colliding with a utility pole.
Courtney said it is still unknown if the collision itself is what killed the victim, or if the man died before impact.
“We won’t know more until seeing the toxicology results,” he said. “It usually takes a few days.”
CPR was administered to the man at the scene, but paramedics were unable to resuscitate him.
The area of Soquel Drive and Stanley Avenue is a busy thoroughfare, close to Dominican Hospital, but no other vehicles were involved in the collision.
“The road happened to be clear at the time,” Courtney said.
The incident is still under investigation.
