CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A vehicle collision near Clearlake Oaks on Wednesday evening claimed the lives of two people.
The crash, which occurred near the intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 53, was reported just after 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to radio traffic.
Northshore Fire Deputy Chief Pat Brown and Lake County Fire Protection Chief Willie Sapeta both were on scene, along with paramedics and firefighters from their districts, a Cal Fire battalion chief, the California Highway Patrol and Lake County sheriff’s deputies.
Brown, who was incident commander, said the crash involved a Jeep and what he said was a bobtail truck, which he described as a small moving van-type vehicle.
There were five patients with critical or major injuries, according to initial reports from Sapeta, who oversaw operations at the scene. Three of the victims were said to be unresponsive when firefighters arrived.
Brown said the two people killed in the crash were in the bobtail truck. The three surviving crash victims were in the Jeep.
He requested two air ambulances and REACH 6 and CalStar 4 responded, setting down at two separate nearby landing zones in the field between Highway 20 and Highway 53.
Brown said a 12-year-old girl who had been in the Jeep was transported to UC Davis Medical Center, while the male driver was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial. A third patient from the Jeep refused service.
The roadway was reopened shortly before 7 p.m., the CHP said.
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