Sahuarita Police: Alcohol a factor in Saturday rollover

A Green Valley man was seriously injured Saturday when he lost control of his car on Old Nogales Highway, struck a water culvert and flipped the vehicle on its side, Pima County Sheriff’s reports said.

The crash occurred just after 5 p.m. on Nogales Highway near Madera Highlands.

The silver-colored Chevy Malibu was traveling northbound when it lost control, crossed into the southbound lane and hit the culvert. The Dodge overturned and the driver was partially ejected from the vehicle’s sun roof, reports said.

The driver, described as a Green Valley resident in his early 20s, was unresponsive when rescue crews arrived and was flown with life-threatening injuries to a Tucson hospital, said Officer Sam Almodova, spokesperson for the Sahuarita Police Department.

Rural Metro Fire, Sahuarita Police and Pima County Sheriff’s officers all responded to the scene.

Almadova said alcohol is believed to be a factor in the accident, though police are waiting for results from blood tests taken at the scene.

According to the Sheriff’s report, rescue crews smelled alcohol on the victim and police found three empty beer cans amidst debris from the wreck.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726