Fatal Highway 101 Crash Linked To Early Friday Morning Petaluma Homicide

PETALUMA (CBS SF) -- An early Friday morning fatal motorcycle crash on Highway 101 has been linked to the slaying of a 28-year-old woman inside a Petaluma home, authorities said.

The Petaluma police department said it received a call from the California Highway Patrol at around 1:21 a.m. regarding a fatal traffic incident that occurred in the southbound lanes of the 101 freeway, north of the East Washington overpass.

Investigators said that a Harley Davidson motorcycle, traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of the freeway, struck a southbound Honda Fit head-on. The impact resulted in the death of the motorcycle driver -- a 34-year-old male -- and major injuries to the 24-year-old female driver of the Honda.

She was trapped inside her burning vehicle, but was pulled to safety by a civilian passerby. She was taken to an area hospital and was expected to survive.

Investigation of the crash closed the southbound lanes of the freeway until 5:45 a.m.

At approximately 2:00 a.m., Petaluma police received a citizen's request for a welfare check on a woman at a residence on the 700 block of Sixth Street.

Arriving officers discovered a deceased 28-year-old female adult inside the residence. Investigators have determined that the homicide and the fatal freeway are related.

As the investigation remains active and coroner's notifications are pending, names of the involved parties and further details concerning the deaths are not being released at this time.

Investigators said it was not believed that there were any outstanding suspects or that there was an on-going threat to the general community.

Anyone with information concerning either death investigation is asked to contact Petaluma Police Department Detective John Silva at 707-778-4532.