CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Three people were seriously hurt in a head-on collision near Clearlake Oaks Tuesday afternoon.
Leslie Uboldi Jr., 52, of Eureka, and Clearlake Oaks residents Robert Roberts, 80, and 64-year-old Mary Reaume were injured in the wreck, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office.
The crash occurred shortly after 2 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 53, known as the “Y,” the CHP said.
The report from CHP Officer Josh Dye explained that when the crash occurred Uboldi was driving a 2002 Oldsmobile Alero eastbound on Highway 20 approaching Highway 53 in the No. 2 lane at approximately 60 miles per hour.
Roberts, driving a 2002 Chevrolet S-10 pickup with Reaume as his passenger in the front seat, was in the left turn lane of westbound Highway 20 waiting to turn onto southbound Highway 53, Dye said.
Dye’s report said Roberts began to turn left across the intersection while Uboldi failed to slow or stop for the stop sign at the intersection.
The intersection has stop signs at two of its three arms, one for eastbound traffic on Highway 20 and one for traffic turning from Highway 53 onto Highway 20. The westbound lane of Highway 20 and its turn lane do not have stop signs.
Uboldi’s and Roberts’ vehicles hit head-on, with Roberts’ pickup rotating counter clockwise, ejecting Reaume – who was not wearing her seat belt – onto Highway 20, Dye said.
Uboldi’s vehicle rolled off the southeast edge of Highway 53, south of Highway 20, according to Dye.
Dye said all three crash victims were transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for treatment of major injuries.
He said alcohol use was not suspected as a cause of the crash.
While Reaume was not belted, both Uboldi and Roberts were using their seat belts, Dye said.
The cause of the collision still remains under investigation, Dye reported.