LAKE COUNTY ? A multi-vehicle collision on Highway 20 Wednesday called for response by several emergency agencies including Northshore Fire Protection District (NFPD) medical and hazmat teams, Department of Fish and Game (DFG), California Highway Patrol (CHP), Lake County Environmental Health (LCEH) and Office of Emergency Services (OES).
The collision involved six vehicles including a motor home and a semi truck.
Three people were treated for injuries as a result of the incident, which occurred at approximately 3:24 p.m. about a mile east of New Long Valley Road.
According to CHP Clear Lake area Public Information Officer Steven Tanguay, Kirby Brown, 59, of Temecula, was driving a 1983 motor home eastbound on Highway 20, east of New Long Valley Road. “The motor home was having mechanical problems so Brown pulled over to the right shoulder,” Tanguay stated. “The motor home did not fit entirely on the right should and was out approximately one foot in the eastbound lane of traffic.”
Theodore Smith, 76, of Poway, was traveling behind the motor home in a 2003 Honda. Smith slowed his vehicle and passed the motor home on the left side, Tanguay stated.
David Martinez, 38, of Sacramento, was driving a 2000 Freightliner tractor with trailers eastbound on Highway 20 as well, approaching the location where the motor home was pulled to the side of the roadway. “Martinez saw that the motor home was stopped and applied the brakes of his truck,” Tanguay stated. “Martinez realized that he could not stop in time so he swerved to the left and crossed over the solid double yellow lines, entering the westbound lane of traffic.”
Dominic De Lello, 57, of Palo Cedro was driving a 1993 Ford pick-up truck westbound on Highway 20. Stephen Snyder, 61, of Clearlake in a 2002 Acura; and Patricia Howell, 62, of Kelseyville in a 2000 Chevy, were also traveling westbound. According to Tanguay, the Freightliner struck all three westbound vehicles. It also struck the Honda that was traveling eastbound.
Tanguay stated that the Freightliner veered to the left and struck the guard rail to the north of the roadway. “The Freightliner traveled through the guard rail and down the embankment to the north of the roadway,” Tanguay stated. “As the Freightliner was traveling down the embankment, it began to overturn. The Freightliner came to rest on its side in Cache Creek.”
DFG, LCEH and hazmat teams responded for waterway contamination attributed to the Freightliner that came to rest in Cache Creek. “Basically what the contamination issue focused on was the truck. The semi had 80-gallon diesel fuel tanks,” Raymond Ruminski, LCEH director said. “Our task was to try and evaluate if there was diesel spilled into the creek. It was a multi-agency operation. Fish and Game was the key player due to the waterway with active fish life.”
Ruminski continued, “There was some diesel contamination. They did a containment effort and minimized the amount of fuel that was lost in stream.”
OES responded to coordinate response. NFPD Clearlake Oaks station provided medical assistance. Martinez was transported by ambulance to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake for treatment. Lello and Howell were transported via REACH air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Tanguay said Highway 20 was closed from Highway 53 to Highway 16 for approximately eight hours. Drugs and alcohol are not considered to be factors in the collision, which remains under investigation by Officer M. Crutcher. DFG representatives were unavailable for comment on Wednesday.
