NEVADA CITY, Calif. June 8, 2017 – At approximately 2:15 AM this morning, Gras Valley resident David Strutton, 52, was driving a Ford F-250 pickup truck southbound on Hwy 49, south of Old Downieville Highway (Nevada City area) at an unknown speed. He was not wearing his seatbelt. He unsafely turned his vehicle off the roadway onto the right shoulder where it struck a large tree. After the impact with the tree, the vehicle forcefully rotated clockwise, ejecting Strutton out of the driver door and onto the highway, along with a number of personal items from the cab. The pickup then came to rest sideways across the center of the roadway.
CHP officers responded along with fire department personnel. Strutton was found unresponsive in the roadway. He was flown by Calstar helicopter air ambulance to the Sutter Roseville Medical Center where he remains in serious condition.
CHP is handling the ongoing investigation. Based on a preliminary investigation, Strutton was driving under the influence of alcohol. He was placed under arrest but was released to the medical center for ongoing treatment.
The roadway was blocked for approximately 30 minutes until the pickup was removed from the roadway. Emergency personnel continued to work at the scene until approximately 3:05 AM.