Teen Driver Dies in Santa Rosa Head-On Collision Friday Morning
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- Authorities in Santa Rosa confirmed that a 17-year-old driver died in a head-on collision with a flatbed truck on Fulton Road Friday morning, according to Santa Rosa police.
In a Facebook post, police said that officers responded to reports of an injury collision in the area of Fulton Road and Guerneville Road shortly before 7:30 a.m. Friday morning.
The party reporting the crash said another vehicle collided head-on with his large flat-bed truck as the reporting party was traveling south on Fulton Road. That driver said he was not injured, but the driver of the truck that hit him -- a gray Toyota Forerunner -- was pinned inside his vehicle.
Arriving officers got to the scene along with units from the Santa Rosa Fire Department and Sonoma Life Support and determined the driver of the Toyota was deceased. Police said initial reports indicated that the driver of the Toyota was traveling northbound on Fulton Road and veered into oncoming lanes of traffic, colliding head-on with the flatbed truck.
The driver of the flatbed truck told police he saw the vehicle come into his lane and was able to stop his vehicle prior to impact.
Santa Rosa police traffic accident investigators responded to the scene and took over the investigation. Police said it was not currently known if the driver experienced a medical emergency or if the vehicle had any mechanical issues. Alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the fatal crash.
Authorities were able to identify the deceased driver as a 17-year-old Santa Rosa resident, but the name of the driver has not been released due to his age. The crash victim's next of kin was notified at the scene of the collision.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this collision is encouraged to contact Officer Ken Ferrigno of the Santa Rosa Police Department Traffic Division at (707)543-3636.
