NORTH COAST, Calif. — A Ukiah woman died on Monday evening in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 20 near Lake Mendocino in Mendocino County.
The California Highway Patrol’s Ukiah Area office did not release the name of the 49-year-old woman — who was riding as a passenger in a Mini Cooper that was involved in the collision — pending notification of next of kin.
The crash occurred at 5:28 p.m. Monday on Highway 20 east of Potter Valley Road during rainy conditions, the CHP said.
Based on witness statements, statements from the parties involved and the dash cam footage, the CHP said that Rafael Esquivel, 60, of Ukiah was driving a blue 2004 Mini Cooper eastbound as Michael Schmuckley, 66, of Portland, Oregon, was driving a blue 2018 Toyota Tacoma westbound.
Kurt Jensen, 49, of Clearlake was driving a black 2019 Ford Explorer westbound just behind Schmuckley, the CHP said.
At the time of the crash, the roadway was wet. The CHP said Esquivel drove through standing water causing his Mini Cooper to lose traction with the roadway. The Mini Cooper began to spin and went into the westbound lane.
The CHP said the front of the Mini Cooper collided with the driver’s side of Schmuckley’s Toyota Tacoma, which caused the Toyota to lose control and spin.
The Mini Cooper continued to spin out of control into the westbound lane and the car’s right rear collided with the front of Jensen’s Ford Explorer.
Passing motorists stopped to assist and helped extricate the Mini Cooper’s occupants. The CHP said the female passenger was unresponsive and died of her injuries at the scene.
Neither alcohol nor drugs are believed to be contributing factors in this collision, the CHP said.
Esquivel suffered major injuries, Jensen had moderate injuries and Schmuckley had none, officials said.
The CHP said the crash remains under investigation.
Anyone with information about the wreck is asked to contact the CHP’s Ukiah Area office at 707-467-4420.
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Three-vehicle crash near Ukiah kills one
- Elizabeth Larson
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