Officials investigate following a single-car accident Monday morning, April 16, 2018 on University Drive under the MacArthur Boulevard bridge. The car hit one of the bridge’s support pillars. (Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

Newport Beach firefighters aided by Orange County Fire Authority work to free driver and aid three others injured Monday morning, April 16, 2018 on University Drive under the MacArthur Boulevard bridge. The car hit one of the bridge’s support pillars. (Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

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Newport Beach firefighters aided by Orange County Fire Authority work to free driver and aid three others injured Monday morning, April 16, 2018 on University Drive under the MacArthur Boulevard bridge. The car hit one of the bridge’s support pillars. (Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

Officials investigate following a single-car accident Monday morning, April 16, 2018 on University Drive under the MacArthur Boulevard bridge. The car hit one of the bridge’s support pillars. (Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

Newport Beach firefighters aided by Orange County Fire Authority tend to one of the injured Monday morning, April 16, 2018 on University Drive under the MacArthur Boulevard bridge. The car hit one of the bridge’s support pillars. (Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)



Newport Beach firefighters aided by Orange County Fire Authority tend to one of the injured Monday morning, April 16, 2018 on University Drive under the MacArthur Boulevard bridge. The car hit one of the bridge’s support pillars. (Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

Newport Beach firefighters aided by Orange County Fire Authority tend to one of the injured Monday morning, April 16, 2018 on University Drive under the MacArthur Boulevard bridge. The car hit one of the bridge’s support pillars. (Richard Koehler, Contributing Photographer)

NEWPORT BEACH – A possibly sleepy driver veered an SUV into a concrete freeway pillar Monday morning, April 16, police said, sending him and three other UCI students to the hospital.

The driver suffered a broken bone in the 6:38 a.m. accident, while the three women passengers had less-serious injuries, said Jennifer Manzella, a Newport Beach police spokeswoman.

The silver Jeep’s front end was heavily damaged by the single-vehicle crash at University Drive and La Vida just under the 73 toll road overpass.

A preliminary investigation showed that the driver fell asleep at the wheel, Manzella said.