HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE ? District 1 Supervisor hopeful Scott Fergusson said he and his wife Linda are lucky to be alive after they were hit both from behind and nearly head-on in a three-car crash late Friday night at the entrance to Hidden Valley Lakes.
The wreck sent four to the hospital with minor to moderate injuries and resulted in the arrests of two Clearlake men, one for suspicion of DUI causing injury and the other for alcohol-related charges, according to California Highway Patrol officer Adam Garcia.
Fergusson and his wife were headed south on Highway 29 in a white 1985 Pontiac Fiero at just after 10 p.m. Friday night.
He had stopped at the main entrance to the Hidden Valley Lake community near the highway”s intersection with Spruce Grove Road, preparing to turn left through the gate.
He was rear-ended by Phaivanh A. Chanthalangsy, 35 of Clearlake, who was driving a red 1997 Toyota Tacoma.
The impact sent the Fiero into a left-hand spin, according to Fergusson, and into an oncoming gray 1997 Ford Ranger driven by Bobby Joe Haire, 75 of Clearlake.
“We were hit perfectly in both directions to put us into a spin so the energy spread out away from us and the car just kind of ripped apart,” said Fergusson on Monday. “We were both wearing our seat belts and that was the other thing that saved us.”
Haire”s Ranger went off of the road into a ditch and had no passengers, according to Garcia.
Fergusson, his wife and Haire were taken by ambulance to Redbud Memorial Hospital with minor to moderate injuries. The Toyota”s two occupants were taken to Sutter Lakeside for medical clearance before they were booked into the Lake County Jail.
Phaivanh A. Chanthalangsy was arrested for suspicion of felony DUI.
In addition to a charge for being drunk in public, Clearlake passenger Phonsavon Chanthalangsy was arrested on two Sonoma County warrants for driving with a suspended license and for driving under the influence.
Fergusson said the intersection is a dangerous spot for Hidden Valley Lakes residents to turn into the gated community, saying he”s seen or heard numerous accidents there, where the entrance sits on the downward slope of a hill on the southbound Highway 29.
He said he plans to contact county officials to see what can be done to either put a left turn lane at the entrance or close it altogether, limiting access to Hatman Road and Spruce Grove Road.
While Fergusson said he knows that won”t be a popular suggestion, he thinks it”s needed.
“It”s definitely worth going a little bit out of your way to be safe,” Fergusson said.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
