Driver crashes 300 feet down Fresno County mountainside, slams into tree

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A driver was hospitalized Tuesday morning after authorities say he crashed down a mountainside in eastern Fresno County.

The California Highway Patrol says the 19-year-old driver was traveling on Highway 180 near Highway 63 at around 9 am when he went off the cliff.

His vehicle went 300 feet down the mountain and crashed into a tree.

CHP officers say the driver was wearing a seatbelt and suffered moderate to major injuries. He was taken to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno for treatment.

Officials say the driver may have been speeding through the area. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.