CLEARLAKE OAKS — Three Clearlake Oaks residents died Sunday when the pickup in which they were riding flipped after the driver reportedly swerved to avoid a deer.
Christopher Craig Karkoska, 21, was driving a 1988 Ford Ranger at an unknown speed westbound along Highway 20 west of Catholic Church Road at 6:35 p.m. when the accident happened.
Riding with him were 24-year-old Jessica Marie Slabey, and an unidentified 16-year-old female passenger.
When a deer appeared in the roadway, Karkoska reportedly swerved to avoid hitting the animal. The vehicle collided with the deer before traveling off the roadway, where it overturned onto its left side — which crushed the roof — and collided with a tree.
Karkoska and Slabey were wearing seat belts, but the 16-year-old was not.
The Clearlake Oaks Fire Department, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and REACH helicopter responded to the scene, where all occupants of the vehicle were pronounced dead.
Highway 20 remained closed with one-way traffic control for approximately three hours during the duration of the accident investigation.
Contact Cynthia Davis at cdavis@record-bee.com.
