Sebastopol man dies in remote Mendocino County truck crash

A 30-year-old Sebastopol man died Friday night in a remote area of Spanish Mountain southwest of Ukiah in Mendocino County when his pickup truck went off a dirt road and at least 350 feet down a hill.

Thomas Bendinelli was ejected from his Toyota Tacoma when the truck overturned multiple times after leaving the roadway on Sherpard Lane for unknown reasons, CHP said in a news release. He died from his injuries.

A dog Saturday morning alerted nearby residents to the fatal crash from the night before, fire officials said. A resident reported hearing what sounded like a crash Friday night but was unable to see anything in the dark, rugged area, Ukiah Valley Fire Capt. John Corippo said.

Firefighters hiked down the hill and found the crashed pickup in steep, oak-studded grassland, precariously positioned about halfway down the mountain embankment from the road, Corippo said.

Shepard Lane is a narrow dirt road that branches off Highway 253.

“When you’re driving on dirt roads, be very careful. Reduce your speed,” said Corippo, who said he didn’t know the cause of the crash. “Be very careful - dirt roads have a tendency to be slippery.”

The investigation into the crash is ongoing, and it is not yet known if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the incident.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem. Staff Writer Kevin Fixler is available at 707-521-5336 or at kevin.fixler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @kfixler.