NORTH COAST, Calif. – Two Ukiah residents were killed and a Lakeport man was injured in a three-vehicle crash near Redwood Valley on Friday morning.
The California Highway Patrol’s Ukiah Area office reported that the crash killed a 70-year-old woman who was driving a red 2015 Nissan Altima and her 77-year-old male passenger. Their names were not released Friday.
The CHP said the crash occurred at 8:50 a.m. Friday on Highway 20 at County Road 144.
The Nissan Altima’s driver had stopped within the southbound lane of Road 144 at Highway 20. At the same time, a white 2009 Nissan Titan, driven by Jaime Alberto Lopez Jr., 25, of Lakeport was traveling westbound on Highway 20, approaching Road 144, the CHP said.
A third vehicle, a white 2015 International commercial truck driven by Ward McKee Jory, 52, of Lodi was traveling eastbound on Highway 20 towing a utility trailer, according to the report.
The CHP said the woman driving the Nissan Altima attempted to merge onto eastbound Highway 20 from Road 144, directly into the path of Lopez’s Nissan.
Lopez was unable to stop in time to avoid colliding with the Altima, with the front of his pickup hitting the Altima’s left side, the CHP said.
The Altima subsequently lost control as it entered the eastbound lane of Highway 20, directly into the path of the International truck driven by Jory, the CHP said.
Jory attempted to stop the truck but could not avoid hitting the Altima’s right side with the front of his vehicle, the CHP said.
The Nissan Altima’s driver and passenger sustained fatal injuries as a result of the wreck and died at the scene, according to the CHP.
Lopez sustained moderate injuries, including a leg injury, and was transported by ground ambulance to Frank. R. Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits, the CHP said. Jory was uninjured.
All four individuals were wearing their seat belts, the CHP said.
The CHP said the crash remains under investigation, however, the agency said it did not appear that drugs or alcohol were factors in the wreck.
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REGIONAL: Two killed, one injured in crash near Redwood Valley
- Elizabeth Larson
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