Car loses tussle with mailbox

DJ Becker/The Madera Tribune

A Madera man stares at what remains of his car Friday after he hit a curb, plowed through a brick mailbox and ended up on the sidewalk on north Granada Drive approaching Sunset Avenue. Officers say the crash was likely caused by a moment of distraction by the driver, and it was fortunate there were no residents outside or pedestrians in the area of the sidewalk.

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A moment’s distraction behind the wheel caused a Madera man to lose control of his 1998 Ford sedan, plow through a brick mail box and wreck his car, according to Madera police.

No injuries were reported.

Officers said the man was south bound on north Granada Drive about 2 p.m. on Friday, approaching the intersection at Sunset Avenue, when he failed to navigate the curve and went bouncing off the road striking the mailbox, sending the bricks airborne and scattering them several hundred feet in front yards and along the sidewalk.

Fortunately there were no pedestrians in the area, they said, as they could have been hit by the flying bricks or run over by the car careening up on to the sidewalk.

A nearby resident’s pickup was damaged by the bricks.

The driver told officers he looked down for only a moment and he looked up when the car hit the curb and he was already at the mailbox, and he wasn’t sure but he may have then hit the gas pedal instead of the brake.

The Ford was a total loss and had to be towed from the scene.

The man had a driver’s license and insurance, and no citations were issued.