Speed a factor in fatal Bennett Valley Road crash

A San Francisco man died late Saturday night.|

The CHP says speed was a factor in a solo vehicle crash near Glen Ellen that took the life of a San Francisco man on Saturday night.

Frank Clary, 36, was driving a borrowed Mazda Miata sports car at a high rate of speed on Bennett Valley Road when he lost control east of Enterprise Drive, the CHP said. The car veered off one side of the road into a ditch, flipped, slid back across the road and overturned, the CHP said.

The black Miata landed on its roof, killing Clary and injuring a passenger, the CHP said.

Clary died at the scene of the 7:30 p.m. crash, authorities said.

His passenger, Jill Shadek, 30, also of San Francisco, was treated for unknown injuries at a local hospital and later released, CHP Sgt. Chris Jacobs said.

Jacobs said there was no particular suspicion that Clary was impaired but said alcohol would be investigated as a possible factor, which is routine.

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.