Highway 160 Accident
I’m Ed Smith, a Pittsburg car accident lawyer. A female motorist from the East Bay was traveling along Highway 160 in the vicinity of Isleton during the evening hours of Sunday, January 15, 2017. For reasons which remain unclear, the woman allegedly drove off the roadway and her vehicle submerged into the Sacramento River.
What Happened?
A woman was driving along Highway 160 near Tyler Island Bridge Road. She was traveling northbound along this highway towards Sacramento to visit her sister. For unknown reasons, the woman’s vehicle skidded off the roadway and into the Sacramento River shortly after 9:00 pm. The woman’s vehicle with her inside went under water in the Sacramento River.
Woman Calls 911
The woman made a distressed phone call to 9-1-1 moments after her car accident. Fire department crews and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) immediately arrived at the scene of the accident. Sadly, there was little they could do to remove the vehicle from the water due to the dangerous river current conditions.
What Caused the Accident?
It is still too soon to determine what caused this solo vehicle accident. It usually takes up to two weeks for the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to generate a traffic collision report. Inclement weather conditions did not appear to be a factor according to CHP officer, Michael Bradley.
There are no guardrails in some areas of Highway 160. Some people feel that if a guardrail was placed, especially along the waterfront, this may have prevented this tragic accident.
Watch YouTube Video – By: CBS Sacramento – Family Frustrated Woman’s Body May Stay Underwater for Nearly a Week
The following video shows the family of the victim that passed away in this tragic accident. The victim was identified as 48-year-old Nichele Johnson, of Bay Point. One family member indicated that a good Samaritan observed the woman’s vehicle skid off the roadway. He tried to help the woman by entering the water. Sadly, he was unable to save her once her vehicle submerged completely underwater. Her vehicle, with her body still inside, remains in the Sacramento River as of Wednesday, January 18, 2017.
Bay Point Woman’s Body Remains in Submerged Car
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department stated that there is not a dive team available to retrieve the woman’s vehicle. The removal of the woman’s vehicle from the Sacramento River has been delayed until at least Thursday, January 19, 2017. The reason given is that a series of storms have been reported to take place in the area, resulting in bad weather conditions. These conditions and the water level of the river have been found to be too dangerous for crews to remove the vehicle. The family of Nichele Johnson have found it hard to cope with the idea that their loved one is still trapped in her vehicle in the Sacramento River.
Our condolences are with the loved ones of the woman who passed away in this tragic accident.
Pittsburg Car Accident Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Pittsburg car accident lawyer. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a car accident, please contact me at (916) 921-6400 or toll-free at (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice.
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Information Attribution for Highway 160 Accident: http://www.eastbaytimes.com/
Photograph Attribution: Wiki Media Commons – phantom.jpg
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