Oregon woman dies in I-5 crash
Editor's Note: The identity of the person who died in the crash has been changed since the story first appeared.
An early morning rollover on Interstate 5 south of Maxwell claimed the life of one woman and injured another.
Norma Brown, 50, of Central Point, Ore., was killed when she was ejected from a 1990 Chevrolet S-10 pickup around 4 o’clock Thursday, after the driver, for unknown reasons, allowed the truck to drift off the roadway, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The pickup rolled several times before coming to a rest on its wheels.
The driver, Daniel Brown, 51, also of Central Point, suffered head trauma and was airlifted to Enloe Hospital in Chico following the accident.
He was listed in good conditions Thursday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The cause of the crash, including whether drugs or alcohol were involved, is unknown, but the outcome of the injuries to both parties could have been less severe if they had been wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, according to John Waggoner, CHP public affairs officer.
The accident is one of several in two days where driver distraction may be involved in the cause of the collisions, Waggoner said.
Ashley Tunget, 20, of Red Bluff, received major injuries Wednesday when she, for unknown reasons, allowed her 2001 Volkswagon Beetle todrift of the westbound lane of Highway 20, just each of Schaad Road.
Tunget, who was traveling at an unknown speed around 5:30 p.m., tried to correct, but the car slid sideways, traveling into the eastbound lane and into the path of a Toyota Sienna driven by Irene Pearson, 44, of Lower Lake.
After striking Pearson, Tunget’s vehicle then struck a 2003 Dodge Dakato, driven by Raymond Hatfield, 40, of Loleta. His passenger, Arlis Keisner, 47, also of Loleta, received major injuries and was airlifted to UC Davis.
Pearson and Hatfield were treated and released at the scene, the CHP said.
Ten minutes earlier, two drivers collided at the intersection if North and San Francisco streets in Maxwell, resulting in four minor injuries to the drivers and passengers.
The CHP said Maddie Dunlap, 17, of Maxwell, entered the uncontrolled intersection around 5:20 p.m., the same time as Rhonda Crabtree, 47, also of Maxwell.
Dunlap had her attention directed to the radio, the CHP said. Crabtree had her attention directed toward the school.
Waggoner said injuries were minimal, including those to Dunlap’s passengers, Megan Dunlap, 10, and Molly Dunlap, 6, because they were wearing seat belts.
A third accident Wednesday, occurred in the parking lot of the Gemma-PG&E power generating station, when the driver of a 1989 Cadilac suffered a diabetic seizure, the CHP said.
Donald Siegfried, 60, of Lodi, was transported to Enloe Medical Center with moderate injuries after his vehicle struck a parked vehicle. A condition update was not available.
