A 27-year-old Morgan Hill man died early Monday morning after his pickup truck lost control and overturned on U.S. 101 in south Gilroy, according to authorities.
The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office identified the dead driver as Raul Bueno, Jr.
About 12:40am Jan. 7, Bueno was driving a 2007 Nissan Titan north on the freeway, just north of the Monterey Road exit in Gilroy, reads a press release from the California Highway Patrol.
For an unknown reason, Bueno lost control of the Nissan and drove off the west edge of the northbound lane of U.S. 101, police said. The vehicle proceeded out of control in a northwesterly direction and collided with a guardrail made of wood and metal. The guardrail is located in the center divide and separates the northbound and southbound lanes of U.S. 101.
The collision with the guardrail caused the Nissan to overturn and come to rest on its right side, police said. Bueno was pinned inside the vehicle. After a lengthy extrication effort by fire department personnel, Bueno was removed from the Nissan. Bueno succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities do not think alcohol or drugs were a factor in the accident. The collision remains under investigation, according to the CHP.
