Two Yolo County men in their 20s were killed early Sunday morning when their vehicle struck a tree in the rural town of Yolo, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officers said 25-year-old Joseph Steven Mendoza of Woodland was driving a 1997 Buick Century northbound on County Road 99W near Second Street when he lost control of the vehicle at about 12:10 a.m. The car veered off the east side of the road and crashed into the tree, causing fatal injuries to both Mendoza and his passenger.
Mendoza was pronounced dead at the scene, the CHP reported. The passenger, 27-year-old Sean Jacob Lynch of Yolo, succumbed to his injuries after being transported by REACH helicopter to the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.
Neither man had been wearing a seat belt, according to the CHP. Officers are still investigating the cause of the collision and whether alcohol or drugs played a role.