A 20-year-old Ceres man was hospitalized after police say he crashed a stolen car into a utility pole at 3106 Mitchell Road on Saturday morning.

Ceres Police Officer Matt Berlier responded to the 7:43 a.m. call to 911 and found two persons outside of the crashed car where it sheered the pole in two. One was driver Johnni Smith, 20, of Ceres. Smith said he was driving northbound on Mitchell Road when the wheel started to shake, causing him to think he hit something in the roadway before losing control.

Passenger Nathanial Holland, 18, of Lodi, was having trouble speaking because of the pain but was able to say the vehicle belonged to him. Both were rushed to the hospital by ambulance.

A records check revealed the car was reported stolen in Modesto on Aug. 11.  Holland stated he bought the car but could provide paperwork.  Officer Berlier will follow up with the case once Holland is released from the hospital.