California Man Drives Off Road Along Coast, Plunges To His Death

Portuguese Beach, Calif. (AP) - A Northern California man who refused to stop for a state parks ranger plunged 75 feet off a highway to his death.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports a parks ranger tried to stop a Ford Ranger pickup truck for multiple mechanical violations about 5 miles north of Bodega Bay, California on Sunday night.

But the driver, a 46-year-old man from Cazadero, California refused to stop. He continued north, hit a milepost marker, continued across the shoulder and the truck fell to the Sonoma County beach below. The man was ejected from the truck. He was pronounced dead on the scene. His name was not released.

A California Highway Patrol spokesman said authorities are investigating whether the man was impaired or if he intentionally drove the truck off the highway.

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