One Killed in Napa Rock Slide Crash
A man from Fairfield tragically lost his life in a storm-caused rock slide that pushed his vehicle off of the road in Napa County. Our firm would like to express sympathies to the relatives and friends of the deceased.
Collision Info
Captain Steve Blower from the Napa County Sheriff’s Department reported that the crash occurred at around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 9, 2018, on Highway 121 in an unincorporated area within Napa County during heavy rains that affected much of the Bay Area.
Joe Buchmeier from Cal Fire told reporters that it seems like one large boulder rolled down a roadside hill and pushed the vehicle off the side of the road. Buchmeier also noted that it is difficult to determine what all came down when the landslide occurred. Official reports say that a rock weighing several tons impacted the driver’s side of the vehicle and forced it off the roadway where it careened around 11 yards down a roadside embankment.
Response
Emergency response crews were not given clearance to pull the vehicle out of the muddy landslide until Wednesday, January 10, 2018. California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported that the crash site initially had too much loose debris and rocks for responders to get close to the vehicle.
After removing the vehicle from the site of the wreck, responders identified the fatally injured driver as 22-year-old Fairfield resident Hernan Reyes-Aguires. Reports have since indicated that Reyes-Aguires had been returning home to Fairfield after a family visit in Napa County when the collision happened.
Road Shut-Down
The roadway, which is also referred to as Monticello Road, was closed down for multiple hours between the intersections of Vichy Avenue and Wooden Valley Road. However, traffic resumed on the roadway some 19 hours after the landslide occurred at 1:00 p.m. the following day.
Part of the reason the road was closed for such a large amount of time was due to Geologists from Caltrans who were called to the site in order to examine and assess the stability of the hills located near the highway.
Landslide Concern
Due to massive amounts of root loss caused by last October’s deadly wildfires, much of Napa and Solano’s hillsides contain loose rocks that are liable to break free and cause landslides when weighed down with rains. Caltrans officials have stated that they have worked hard to avoid landslides like this by removing dead trees and hydroseeding construction areas, but that they will double down on their efforts in light of this tragic collision.
More Content by Fairfield Auto Accident Lawyer, Ed Smith
Fairfield Car Accident Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Fairfield car accident lawyer. Losing a loved one isn’t something you should have to deal with on your own. If you know somebody who has lost their life in an accident, contact me at (707) 564-1900, (800) 404-5400, or AutoAccident.com to receive my free, friendly advice.
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photo: “landslide fremont CA” by Geology Cafe (license: public domain)
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