A driver suspected of driving under the influence is lucky to be alive after driving off Highway 50 and colliding with a Ranch Cordova business’s iconic wooden waterwheel early Saturday morning, police said.
The 23-year-old man sustained critical injuries in the crash, California Highway Patrol said. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI and released to the hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
The man was traveling at a high rate of speed eastbound on Highway 50 west of Hazel Avenue at the time of the crash, police said. He left the highway, drove through the chain-link fencing, and slid sideways before crashing into the waterwheel in front of Naturwood Home Furnishings.
The business is located at 12125 Folsom Blvd. in Rancho Cordova. The waterwheel has been there since the location opened in 1984. It’s also part of the family-owned and operated business’s logo on its website.
The man was traveling at a high rate of speed eastbound on Highway 50 west of Hazel Avenue at the time of the crash, police said.