A MOTORIST In Garden Grove Sunday night avoided hitting an animal but crashed his vehicle into a tree.

A man was hospitalized and a major intersection closed Sunday night in Garden Grove when a motorist swerved his car into a tree to avoid hitting an animal.

According to police, the incident occurred at 11:30 p.m. on Euclid Street north of Lampson Avenue. A 2005 Ford Explorer traveling northbound on Euclid Street struck a tree in the sidewalk, causing the SUV to roll over and the tree to collapse.

The driver initially appeared to be uninjured but was later taken to a trauma center at a local hospital. The fallen tree blocked lanes for two hours until it was cleared by city public works crews.

According to police, the driver spotted a small animal walking into the street, and turned the wheel to avoid hitting it, and instead struck the tree. He was identified only as a 28-year-old male.