1 dead after Monday afternoon crash at Bernal and Natividad

Salinas police say an 83-year-old man died behind the wheel Monday afternoon, causing his car to careen into a center divide and land vertically.

Police believe he suffered some kind of medical ailment that caused him to go unconscious and lose control of the car. The car was driving on Natividad when it struck the center island near Bernal, flipped across it, took out a fence and landed sticking straight up.

When officers arrived, they found the man seated in the driver’s seat, deceased. The only visible injuries were minor and appeared to have occurred after death.

It did not appear the driver tried to brake or steer to avoid the collision. The case is still under investigation.

PG&E crews responded because the car landed on a power pole, which had to be secured before the car could be removed. The car was moved off the pole a little after 5 p.m. No power interruptions occurred.

The man’s name has not been released.