NORTH COAST, Calif. – A three-vehicle crash near Willits on Thursday killed three people and resulted in a lengthy closure of Highway 101.
The California Highway Patrol's Ukiah Area office is investigating the fatal collision, which occurred at 12:40 p.m. on Highway 101, south of Hollands Lane.
The CHP said Thursday evening that it was withholding the names of the three victims pending notification of family.
According to the CHP's report, a 75-year-old Sebastopol man was driving a 1998 Toyota Camry southbound on Highway 101 in the rain when, for unknown reasons, he crossed over the double yellow lines and collided head-on with a 2010 Toyota Prius, which was traveling northbound.
The CHP said the Toyota Prius was driven by an 89-year-old woman who had a 62-year-old man riding with her in the front passenger seat. The cities of residence of both of those individuals were not available Thursday.
As the Prius came to a rest, the front of a 2001 Acura driven by 21-year-old Stephen Delatorre of Kelseyville collided with the rear of the Prius, the CHP said.
The male driver of the Toyota Camry, the female driver of the Toyota Prius and the male passenger of the Toyota Prius all died of their injuries at the scene, the CHP said.
The CHP said Delatorre was uninjured in the collision.
With the exception of Delatorre, all parties were utilizing their lap and shoulder harness and all appropriate airbags were deployed, the CHP said.
The CHP said the collision is still under investigation.
The crash site was closed for several hours for investigative purposes, with traffic detoured by Caltrans around the collision site utilizing Hollands Lane, the CHP said.
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Thursday Willits crash kills three
- Elizabeth Larson
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