Man Found Dead Near Wrecked Car On Rural Sonoma County Property

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A fatal crash was discovered Sunday by a property owner northwest of Santa Rosa, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Officers were dispatched at 4:24 p.m. Sunday to a property on River Road, just west of Trenton-Healdsburg Road, where the property owner found a damaged mailbox, then upon further investigation found a wrecked car and a man's body nearby, CHP Officer David deRutte.

The car, a gray Hyundai, was found down an embankment on the north side of River Road.

The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene, deRutte said.

CHP determined the crash happened several hours earlier but was not immediately discovered because the Hyundai was not visible from River Road or from the property.

"For unknown reasons at this time, the Hyundai drove off the north side of River Rd. The Hyundai collided with the mailbox and continued down an embankment where it collided with a tree," deRutte said.

The Hyundai driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the car, deRutte said.

The Hyundai continued down the embankment until it crashed into a second tree and came to a stop.

The driver's identity was not released pending notification of his next of kin by the Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner's Office.

"This crash remains under investigation including whether the driver was under the influence," deRutte said. "If anyone witnessed this collision or the events leading up to it, please call the Santa Rosa CHP office at (707)588-1400."