CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Lakeport man died early Thursday when the vehicle he was driving hit a power pole and overturned.

The California Highway Patrol did not release the name of the 24-year-old man Thursday pending notification of family.

The crash occurred at 1 a.m. on Highway 20 at Schindler Street in Clearlake Oaks, the CHP said.

The man was driving a 1997 Ford Explorer westbound on Highway 20 at a high rate of speed when, for an unknown reason, he allowed the vehicle to drift off the north roadway edge and onto the dirt shoulder, where it hit a posted speed limit sign, according to the CHP.

The CHP said the Explorer continued in a northwesterly direction and the driver's side door struck a power pole, shearing the pole off at the base.

The Explorer overturned, hit a chain link fence and came to rest on its roof, according to the CHP report.

Firefighters responded to the scene and began to immediately provide aid to the driver, who was trapped in the Explorer, the CHP said.

The CHP said the man died at the scene.

The driver was not wearing his seat belt, and at this time the CHP said it isn't known if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.

The crash knocked out power to more than 2,000 Clearlake Oaks residents, with power restored later in the morning, according to the Pacific Gas and Electric online outage center.

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