Tag

A clash between drivers on the freeway ended up in a rollover crash that landed two people in the hospital. (Photo: Marin Independent-Journal)

Freeway crash: Two people were hospitalized Wednesday after a road rage incident led to a rollover crash that blocked an onramp onto the 101 freeway in Novato.

•   A BMW rear-ended a Toyota that slowed at a construction zone.

•   Both cars pulled over at first, but the BMW drove away. When the Toyota caught up with the BMW, the driver slammed on her brakes, causing the Toyota to swerve across the freeway and roll over.

•   The driver and passenger in the Toyota were hospitalized with possible back and neck injuries.

The car accident occurred shortly before 10 a.m. on northbound Highway 101, according to a report in the Marin Independent-Journal.

The scuffle started in the Number 1 lane, where a 1998 BMW 740iL, driven by 25-year-old Melanie Strong of Santa Rosa, was traveling behind a  2007 Toyota Camry, driven by31-year-old Kaleybra Block.

California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Hohmeister said Block thought Strong was tailgating her, so she sped up to about 70 mph to put some room behind her. Shortly thereafter, she had to slow down to 55 mph for a construction zone north of Ignacio Boulevard. Strong did not slow down, Hohmeister said. Her BMW slammed into the Toyota from behind.

After that accident, both cars pulled over and stopped in the center divider  near the Highway 37 overcrossing. A passenger in the Toyota,  26-year-old Michael Walker of Santa Rosa, got out to talk to Strong, but she drove back onto the freeway, hitting the Toyota again on her way.

Block then drove after the BMW, but when she got close, Strong slammed on her brakes. Block swerved to try to avoid a third collision, but she lost control of the Toyota. It veered across the freeway and completely rolled over, landing upright on its wheels. When the vehicle came to rest, it was blocking the onramp from Highway 37 to northbound Highway 101.

Block and Walker both suffered possible back and neck injuries and were transported to Marin General Hospital to be treated.

Strong was not injured. Her two passengers — one adult and a 7-year-old boy — also escaped injury.

Hohmesiter said the CHP is considering the accident a potential hit-and-run case. Witnesses are urged to call the CHP Marin office at 415-924-1100.

Novato Freeway Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented freeway accident victims for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A drunk driver has been charged with murder in the Hall Road crash in Santa Rosa. Above, firefighters work at the scene of the crash. (Photo: Crista Jeremiason/Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

A 28-year-old nursing student has been charged with murder for a drunk driving accident that killed a 56-year-old man Saturday near Santa Rosa. The suspect allegedly was trying to run down her ex-boyfriend on a motorcycle at the time.

•  A suspected drunk driver fought with her boyfriend and then chased him on his motorcycle with her car. They reached speeds of more than 100 mph, according to witnesses.

•  The motorcycle swerved and the drunk driver hit a small sports car, killing the driver.

•   Prosecutors charged the drunk driver with murder.  She remains in jail without bail.

The fatal car accident occurred at 4:45 p.m. on Hall Road in unincorporated Sonoma County west of Santa Rosa, according to a CBS News report.

California Highway Patrol Officer Jon Sloat told CBS that Heather Ann Howell of Santa Rosa appeared to be chasing a man on a motorcycle (not the victim) in her 2001 Acura when the accident occurred.

Investigators said Howell and her boyfriend, a 45-year-old man from Penngrove, had been fighting at Howell’s home before the accident. Witnesses said Howell chasing the motorcyclist trying to hit him with her car, according to a report in the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat.

Sonoma County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Molinari said investigators were trying to confirm reports that both the Acura and the motorcycle were traveling faster than 100 mph on Fulton Road, just before the crash. The motorcyclist swerved to get out of the way, according to witnesses, and Howell’s Acura clipped a Lexus sedan in front of her. Howell’s car then slammed into a 1969 Triumph TR6 sports car.

The Triumph, driven by 55-year-old Jesse Garcia of Santa Rosa, flipped over and burst into flames. Garcia was trapped inside the burning vehicle, police said. He died at the scene.

Howell was arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail, where she was being held without bail. At a hearing on Friday, prosecutor Anne Masterson said Howell admitted she had been drinking before the accident.

Howell initially was charged with manslaughter and reckless driving, but prosecutors decided to charge her with murder because of  her alleged intent to harm the motorcyclist, which led to the death of the uninvolved driver. If she is convicted, she could face 15 years to life in prison.

Santa Rosa Wrongful Death Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented the families of wrongful death victims for more than 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.