SUV Split In Half, Driver Arrested In Murrieta Blvd. Crash

LIVERMORE, CA – A solo-vehicle crash into a tree Friday on Murrieta Boulevard sheared the vehicle in half and sent the motorist, who was arrested on suspicion of impaired driving, to the hospital with moderate-to-major injuries, according to the police.

The 31-year-old male driver, a Livermore resident whose name was not released, was arrested for a suspected drug-related DUI, said Sgt. Ryan Sanchez of the Livermore Police Department. He was transported to an area hospital with lower-extremity injuries, that were not considered life-threatening, Sanchez said.

The man's vehicle, a 2004 Nissan Murano SUV, left the road, struck a tree and "literally split in half," Sanchez said. The accident occurred at 11:29 a.m. and closed southbound lanes of Murrieta between Del Norte Drive and Portola Avenue. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood.)

The driver was the SUV's sole occupant, and damage was to city property, Sanchez said.

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--Photos via Robbie Rich