A pre-dawn Memorial Day crash on Highway 132 in Modesto left a 28-year-old Waterford man dead after his pickup veered off the roadway near McEwen Road and smashed into a telephone pole, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officers were called to the scene just before 1:30 AM, where they found the pickup on the eastbound shoulder and the driver had been ejected from the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators say he was not wearing a seat belt. The CHP has identified him only as a 28-year-old Waterford resident and has not yet released his name, CBS Sacramento reported.
The circumstances that sent the truck off the highway are still unclear, and officials have not said whether speed, impairment, or any other factor may have played a role.
Seat Belts and Ejection Risk
The CHP’s note that the driver was unrestrained points to a grim reality that traffic investigators see far too often. Being thrown from a vehicle is rarely survivable, while a basic click of the belt can make a life-or-death difference…