MENDOCINO CO., 4/7/25 – A Covelo man was killed after his vehicle veered off state Highway 162 in rural Mendocino County and hit two trees over the weekend, the California Highway Patrol said.
Dennis Shepherd, 78, was driving westbound on Highway 162 about 20 miles northeast of Willits at about 1:55 p.m. Saturday when his vehicle went off the road and into an embankment and hit two trees.
Officers arrived on the scene, about 20 miles northeast of Willits, at 1:58 p.m. and found Shepherd unresponsive. First responders attempted life-saving measures for Shepherd, but he died at the scene.
The collision is under investigation. Shepherd was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, the CHP said.