NORTHSHORE — A head-on collision on Highway 20 just west of the community of Glenhaven held up traffic and sent Santa Rosa resident Dana Traw, 45, to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital Tuesday afternoon.
Three California Highway Patrol units were at the scene of the collision, where a 2001 maroon Saturn had crossed double yellow lines into the westbound lane and collided with an oncoming 2000 silver Ford F-250 truck driven by Ukiah resident Donald Seeley, 60, sending the truck down a four-foot, boulder-covered embankment. Traw, who was driving the Saturn, was believed to be under the influence of alcohol at the time, according to investigating CHP officer Erica Coddington.
According to witness accounts, Traw had been tailgating a vehicle in front of her and was trying to pass the vehicle when she hit the Ford head-on. Traw was not wearing her seat belt, and was trapped in the vehicle when for a short time following the 2:19 p.m. collision. She had been airlifted out by the time CHP arrived at the scene, according to Coddington.
“He (Seeley) said he saw her come over into the westbound lane, she went back over, then all of a sudden she came out again and started to pass, and there wasn”t time to even react or hit the breaks,” Coddington said.
Seeley complained of pain in his neck, legs and back and was taken by a family member to Ukiah Valley Medical Center after signing a medical release at the scene, according to Coddington. Traw was flown by helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Coddington said she was unaware of the severity of Traw”s injuries, but said her left leg was “in pretty bad shape.”
Coddington took statements from witnesses while officers took measurements and tow companies worked for approximately an hour and a half to pull the Ford from a four-foot embankment covered with boulders.
Coddington said Ukiah resident Matt Snook called 9-1-1 to report that Traw was driving recklessly six minutes before the accident occurred.
“She was three to five feet behind me,” Snook said at the scene. He said Traw had passed him in a blind curve just east of Ceago Vinegarden. When she stopped in Lucerne, Snook confronted her, asking her why she had passed him in a blind curve.
“She said, ?it”s my blind curve,”” Snook said.
Traw was arrested on suspicion of DUI, but was released to the care of the hospital, according to a Tuesday afternoon CHP press release. The accident remains under investigation.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
