Fatal Crash in Red Bluff
An 18-year-old man died after driving his truck off the roadway into the guard rail at approximately 3:00 am on Sunday, July 10, 2016.
What Happened?
A 1998 GMC 2500 pickup truck was driving southbound on the Jelly’s Ferry Bridge in Tehama County. The driver of the truck unsafely swerved to the right and took out the guard rail of the bridge. The truck then went airborne and damaged the Jelly’s Ferry Bridge’s support beam. In an effort to rescue the injured occupants of the vehicle, Red Bluff authorities, an ambulance, and two CAL FIRE engines were called to the scene.
Jelly’s Ferry Bridge Collapses
Jake Bushey, a California Highway Patrol officer, was on scene for the crash where he later witnessed an ambulance and the first CAL FIRE engine drive along the bridge. Bushey then realized that the part of the bridge that was damaged by the truck was unstable and could give out at any given moment. However, it was too late for Bushey to stop the second CAL FIRE reserved engine in time and the 13-ton engine fell 25 feet through the collapsed bridge. The three firefighter occupants of the second CAL FIRE engine were able to come out with minor injuries of bumps and bruises. The three firefighters were still taken to the hospital as a safety precaution.
Bridge Repair Reports
A Tehama County Public Works spokesperson stated that repairing the bridge will be unlikely because it now has to be replaced as a result of the accident. Stringer and deck repairs were being done on the bridge in 2015. Caltrans noted that the bridge was already scheduled for replacement in 2020.
California Highway Patrol Reports
According to the California Highway Patrol, the two passengers in the truck were not wearing their seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle. The passenger of the truck was identified by law enforcement as 19-year old Charles Sorell who was flown to Mercy Medical Center in Redding due to the severe nature of his injuries. Alcohol was also found in the truck and will be considered a factor in the investigation. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash.
Redding Car Accident Lawyer
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