Man dies near Porterville after crashing into tree

One man died Saturday near Porterville after going off the road and crashing his car into a tree.

Roger Lee Plata, 79, of Exeter, was driving southbound on Highway 65, south of Avenue 196 when the crash happened at 8:52 a.m.

For unknown reasons, Plata drove his Suzuki across the right-hand lane and off the edge of Highway 65, CHP said.

The car then went into a ditch and came out on the other side before crashing into an olive tree.

A passenger, Shirley Marie Plata, 80, of Exeter, had minor injuries.

Alcohol was not a factor in the accident, the CHP said.

This story was originally published August 1, 2015 at 7:43 PM with the headline "Man dies near Porterville after crashing into tree."