CHP Says Suspected DUI Crash on Auberry Road Kills Man Near Prather

A man was killed Monday afternoon after his pickup overturned on Auberry Road near Corlew Mountain Road, south of Prather, the California Highway Patrol said. The crash closed the roadway and left residents and travelers in the county foothills asking questions about road safety and impaired driving.

"CHP received multiple reports of a solo vehicle crash on Auberry Road near Corlew Mountain Road south of Prather just before 1:30 p.m.," officials said. Another local report put the initial response at around 1:20 p.m., a small discrepancy within the agencies' early accounts as investigators continue work at the scene.

Preliminary CHP investigation indicates the northbound pickup veered onto the right - east - dirt shoulder, struck large rocks, lost control and overturned, coming to rest in the northbound lane. CHP described the sequence this way: "The man who was driving a pickup truck, was traveling northbound on Auberry Road. CHP said that the man veered to the right dirt shoulder for reasons unknown. When he did that, he struck some large rocks along the shoulder, which then caused him to lose control." Bystanders helped extract the critically injured driver and began administering first aid at the scene.

"Bystanders assisted him out of the vehicle and began first aid until medical teams arrived," CHP reported. Despite life-saving efforts by those on scene and emergency responders, the driver was pronounced dead at the crash site. CHP also noted the driver was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.

The agency said alcohol is suspected to be a contributing factor in the collision and that "the investigation is ongoing." No name, age or toxicology results have been released; CHP investigators have not reported any arrests tied to this Monday crash. Officials have said they will release additional details as they are able.

The crash follows a separate, deadly collision on Auberry Road earlier in the week. That Friday incident occurred near Summit Mountain Road and resulted in the deaths of Ted Amber, 87, and his wife, Sharon Amber, 86. Authorities arrested 21-year-old Lazaro Hernandez of Clovis and booked him on two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence; investigators reported marijuana and the odor of marijuana in that vehicle but a Drug Recognition Expert evaluation ruled out impairment. That Friday crash is distinct from the solo-vehicle collision that killed the man near Corlew Mountain Road.

For local residents, the Monday fatality highlights ongoing safety risks on rural foothill stretches of Auberry Road, narrow lanes, dirt shoulders and rocky embankments amplify the consequences of lane departures and suspected impaired driving. CHP's continued investigation is likely to clarify causes and potential enforcement steps; officials say they will provide updates as coroner and toxicology results become available. In the meantime, drivers in the Prather area are urged to exercise extra caution on Auberry Road, especially in areas with limited shoulders and higher traffic speeds.