UPDATE: Man in single-vehicle fatal identified

UPDATE

12:10 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11

The Tulare County Sheriff's Department has identified the driver as 30-year-old Josue Gaytan of Lindsay.

A man died Monday afternoon when the vehicle he was driving went out of control on a rural roadway and slammed into an olive tree.

The man, described as being in his late 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on Avenue 220 east of Road 236. His name was not released.

According to California Highway Patrol Officer Chris Boudreaux, the man was eastbound on Avenue 220 when for some unknown reason his vehicle veered off the north side of the roadway, narrowly missing a telephone pole. The vehicle then began to veer back across the roadway, through a small ditch and head-on into the olive tree in an olive orchard. Estimates were that the vehicle traveled for approximately 400 feet out of control before striking the tree.

The impact sent the vehicle careening back onto the roadway, where it ended up on its side.

Parts of the vehicle were thrown more than 75 feet and the engine was nearly completely dislodged.

The late model Kia was equipped with both driver’s and side airbags, and the driver was using his seat belt, but the force of the crash was fatal.

Authorities closed Avenue 220 and friends of the man showed up at the scene.

The collision occurred at 2:10 p.m.