Santa Paula man dies when pickup truck lands upside down in Ventura culvert

April 12, 2002
Santa Paula News

A Santa Paula man died early Sunday despite a massive rescue effort after his pickup truck became wedged in a culvert after flying off the road late Saturday night, according to a Ventura Police Department spokesman.

By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesA Santa Paula man died early Sunday despite a massive rescue effort after his pickup truck became wedged in a culvert after flying off the road late Saturday night, according to a Ventura Police Department spokesman.Michael Paul Hines, 40, was driving eastbound on Foothill Road at about 10:45 p.m. when his car left the roadway and became airborne on a curve just east of Court Avenue.Hines’ pickup truck landed upside down in the bottom of the Harmon Barranca on the north side of Foothill Road. When Ventura police and fire-rescue personnel arrived on scene they discovered that the truck was wedged in a narrow drainage culvert and that Hines had been partially ejected from the vehicle. Three Ventura City fire engines and one fire truck were called to the scene.
Fire rescue workers and paramedics had to deal with the steepness of the hillside and heavy brush, but were finally able to reach the vehicle, although they found they could not easily remove Hines, who was breathing but unconsciousness; his body was jackknifed in about 12 inches of space. It took rescue workers several hours to remove Hines from the vehicle and culvert but attempts to revive him failed. He was declared dead at the scene at 2 a.m.An autopsy revealed Hines died from multiple blunt force injuries.Ventura Police are continuing to investigate the accident; alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the crash.



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