LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two drivers were seriously injured in a head-on collision that occurred on Friday afternoon on Highway 20 east of Clearlake Oaks.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said Stephen Collins, 20, of St. Helena and Robert Vogler, 48, of Kennewick, Washington, both suffered major injuries in the wreck, which took place at 1:45 p.m. Friday on Highway 20 west of Walker Ridge Road.
The CHP said Collins was driving his 2014 Chevrolet Volt eastbound in the No. 1 lane at an unknown speed, while Vogler was driving his 2006 Chevrolet 2500 van westbound at 55 miles per hour.
For reasons that the CHP said are unknown, Collins allowed his Chevrolet Volt to cross over the solid double yellow lines into the opposing lane of traffic, directly in Vogler’s path.
The vehicles collided head-on, causing Vogler’s van to overturn, the CHP said.
The CHP said all lanes of Highway 20 were blocked for approximately two hours as a result of the crash.
Collins and Vogler were life-flighted to out-of-area hospitals due to the extent of their injuries, the report said.
The CHP said neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected to be factors in this collision, and both men were wearing their seat belts.
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