LAKE COUNTY ? Two Kelseyville men were flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries following a Monday morning head-on collision, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The collision happened shortly before 9 a.m., on Red Hills Road, approximately a mile west of the Kits Corner intersection. One-lane traffic control was in effect for approximately an hour while the roadway was cleared, according to CHP officer Adam Garcia.
Preliminary evidence indicates that Michael Zappelli Jr., 46, crossed double-yellow lines while he was driving his blue 2002 C-1500 Chevrolet truck west on Red Hills Road, according to Garcia. He collided head-on with Phillip Martin, 19, who was driving a red 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix in the eastbound lane.
“Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor but high speeds contributed to the severity of the collision,” Garcia said.
Zappelli was not wearing his seatbelt and was flown by REACH helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major, life-threatening injuries, according to Garcia. Martin was wearing a seatbelt and also suffered major, life-threatening injuries and was flown to the same hospital by CALSTAR helicopter.
Neither driver had passengers at the time of the crash, according to Garcia.
The reason Zappelli crossed into oncoming traffic is unknown, according to Garcia. CHP officer Efrain Cortez is leading the ongoing investigation. Garcia said both vehicles sustained substantial front-end damage, and the high speed involved will be a focal point as the CHP probes the details of the crash and looks for factors that contributed to its cause.
“How fast they were going we don”t know yet but that”s going to be a detailed part of the investigation,” Garcia said.
Santa Rosa Memorial spokesperson Priscilla Locke said Martin”s condition was “good” Monday night, but did not have an update about Zappelli”s condition by press time.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
