Early Morning Collision Kills Two
In the early morning hours of Monday, July 5, 2021, two young men lost their lives in a two-vehicle car crash that occurred on State Route 70, east of the West Branch Bridge. This is the latest tragedy in a string of Highway 70 fatalities throughout 2021. The emergency dispatch call came in at around 3:05 a.m. The vehicles involved in the collision were blocking the roadway. First responders arrived at the scene to find that each of the two involved vehicles contained only one occupant, and they were both alive, but unconscious and unresponsive. This information was included within the collision report generated by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The two men were later identified as 27-year-old Kristopher Wilson from Oroville, and 21-year-old Alfonso Madera, a Sacramento resident.
Emergency Response and Road Closure
The two vehicles that crashed were a Mazda 3 and a Ford Focus. Both Wilson and Madera required extrication from their vehicles, which was accomplished by Butte EMS and Cal Fire-Butte County. Medical assistance was administered at the scene to both men, but Mr. Wilson succumbed to his injuries while still at the scene. Mr. Madera was transported via helicopter to Chico’s Enloe Medical Center, where he later died.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
The scene investigation and clean-up necessitated the closure of that area of the highway until approximately 6:00 a.m. when it was reopened.
Highway 70 Fatalities
We have reported on a number of fatal traffic accidents that have occurred this year on State Route 70. Here is a link to our last story documenting the tragic loss of two brothers in an accident that occurred on May 4, 2021. That post includes links to other fatal car crashes that have occurred on Highway 70 in 2021.
Between May 4th and Monday’s fatal accident, there has been at least one other fatal accident on Highway 70 that occurred three miles east of Blairden, in Plumas County.
Just How Dangerous is Highway 70?
In 2017, North State Public Radio asked the question of whether Highway 99 or Highway 70 around the Chico area was safer. The answer proved to be unclear. Both highways run roughly parallel and are mostly flat for the 60 or so miles that they span the valley.
During the writing of that piece, it was noted that the CHP would not provide data with regard to Highway 70 crashes, even though they were forthcoming with other numbers. Congressperson Doug LaMalfa commented at that time that highway fatalities on SR 70 had doubled over the prior 10 years. Supervisor Bill Connelly was at the time urging officials to widen some of the highway’s two-lane portions. Some of those projects have been approved. LaMalfa noted that by September 2017, nine people had lost their lives along a stretch of 70 that ran south of Oroville during the prior months of the year.
Watch the YouTube video. Below is a news clip reporting on a dangerous stretch of Highway 70.
Chico Wrongful Death Lawyer
Hello, and thank you for reading. My name is Ed Smith, and I am a wrongful death lawyer serving residents of Chico, California. Grieving families often need help after losing a loved one in a fatal accident. Many times there are financial and legal decisions to be made that require a clear mind. Grief can really affect decision-making, as well as all other aspects of your life. Enlist a compassionate and knowledgeable wrongful death lawyer to protect your family’s legal rights. To set up a no-obligation consultation or simply to receive our free and friendly legal advice, please promptly call us at (530) 392-9400 or (800) 404-5400.
Our law firm has assisted families throughout Butte County, Plumas County, and surrounding Northern California regions for more than 38 years. Please see our settlements and verdicts page and follow the links below to read client reviews:
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