Man killed in solo Graham Hill crash

A 21-year-old man from Ben Lomond was killed in a solo collision on Graham Hill Road in Felton early Wednesday morning.
California Highway Patrol reported that the man was driving a 2000 Toyota Tacoma truck westbound at 1:30 a.m. on Graham Hill Road near Summit Road. The truck left the south roadway edge and ended up 40 to 50 feet down an embankment before it came to a stop as it struck a tree. Weather conditions were dark and rainy.
The man was taken to Dominican Hospital where he died.
The man was wearing a seat belt. The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the CHP. The man’s name will be released by the Santa Cruz County Coroner’s office on Thursday.
The accident took place about halfway between Summit Road and the entrance to Ponderosa Lodge on Graham Hill Road.
Crews from Felton Fire extracted the man from the truck and brought him up the hillside before sending him to Dominican Hospital, said Deputy Chief Rob Martin who was on scene. A Life Flight helicopter was waiting at the hospital, but was not used because of the man’s fragile condition, Martin said.
Felton Fire crews were on scene from 1:30 a.m. to about 4 a.m.
The accident did not occur on a section of road that is currently under construction for widening, Martin noted.