A 71-year-old Sonoma man who crashed into a pole in east Sonoma County early Tuesday died from his injuries a short time later, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The unidentified man drifted across the double-yellow line and into a drainage ditch on the left side of Napa Road while eastbound east of Sonoma just before 7 a.m., according to the CHP. His Nissan Altima then smashed into a drainage culvert, flipped on its side and hit a power pole.
The man was pinned by his sedan, said Mike Mulas, Schell-Vista assistant fire chief, who responded to the accident.
Schell-Vista firefighters stabilized the car, popped the crumpled door open and maneuvered the seat to free the man, Mulas said. He was transported to Queen of the Valley Hospital where he died at 9:39 a.m.
Traffic was slow for about 90 minutes along Napa Road near Davitto Road until the accident was cleared around 8:30 a.m.
-Randi Rossmann
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