California Highway Patrol Official News Release

Incident Date: November 11, 2023

Location: SR-49, North of Chowchilla Mountain Rd., Mariposa Area

On November 11, 2023, at approximately 2300 hours, the Merced Communication Center (MCC) received a report of a crash on State Route 49 (SR-49), just north of Chowchilla Mountain Road. Emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the location. Responding to the incident, officers from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Mariposa Area unit arrived at the scene to conduct an investigation.

The preliminary investigation revealed that Mr. Zachary Youngren, age 35, from Mariposa, was operating a 2016 Ram pickup truck. He was traveling northbound on SR-49, north of Chowchilla Mountain Road. It appears that Mr. Youngren was unable to successfully navigate a curve in the roadway. Consequently, his vehicle veered off the road, traveling down an embankment on the northern edge of the roadway before colliding with a large tree.

This crash resulted in significant damage to the vehicle. Mr. Youngren was injured and needed to be transported from the scene by the medical personnel who responded to the emergency.

Further investigation at the scene determined that Mr. Youngren was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. As a result of these findings, Mr. Youngren was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI).

The California Highway Patrol is committed to ensuring the safety of all road users. This incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol. The CHP urges the public to drive responsibly and adhere to traffic laws to prevent such unfortunate incidents.

End of Release