Car Accident in Vallejo
On Saturday, April 8, 2017, two Vallejo residents, one 23-year-old male, and one 27-year-old female, were rescued from the wreckage of a rollover crash off of highway 37.
Accident Details
The driver of the vehicle, a Mercedes C230, reported that he had been driving west on 37 just west of Sears Point when he drove through a large patch of standing water that had accumulated due to the area’s recent heavy rains. According to the driver, driving through the standing water caused him to lose control of the vehicle completely and veer off of the road. According to California Highway Patrol (CHP), once the vehicle exited the road, it rolled over 100 feet down a steep embankment on the side of the highway and finally came to a stop when it collided with a patch of trees.
Emergency Response
The driver of the vehicle was conscious after the collision and was able to call for help using his cell phone. Emergency personnel reported receiving the victim’s call a short time after 8 a.m. Shortly thereafter, CHP sent officers to locate the crash.
One responding officer told reporters that he was initially unable to find the wrecked vehicle. The officer said that, in attempting to find the wrecked vehicle and its occupants, he had been along the shoulder of the highway during heavy rain when he heard a car horn faintly honking in the distance.
After hearing the horn, the officer reported that he still could not see where the car was. In order to find it, he had to slide down about 30 feet on a muddy slope and cross a small creek. The officer reported that the site of the crash was about 100 to 150 feet away from the highway.
Extrication
When the officer reached the site of the Vallejo car wreck, he found that the occupants of the vehicle were completely trapped inside the wreckage. Fire crews were called in and used chainsaws to cut through the twisted metal and extricated the occupants. Emergency responders also used a system of ropes in order to help the occupants back up the embankment to the road.
Were there Injuries?
The driver of the vehicle complained of pain as a result of the accident and was taken by ambulance to the Sonoma Valley Hospital for treatment of his injuries. No further information was available on the nature of his injuries except that they did not appear to be life-threatening. The passenger of the vehicle claimed to be completely uninjured and refused medical treatment altogether.
Driving in the Rain
As the rainy season continues to push through California, it is important to keep in mind that driving in the rain necessitates certain precautions. While driving in the rain, drivers should generally drive more slowly and allow themselves more time to react to changing situations on roadways. Rain can make it both harder to see dangerous traffic conditions and more difficult to maneuver around them. It is also important to avoid large bodies of standing water and to know what to do if and when your vehicle hydroplanes.
Vallejo Auto Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Vallejo auto accident lawyer. If you have been seriously injured in a Vallejo car wreck, please call me promptly at (707) 564-1900 for free, friendly advice. Or, in the alternative, you may call me toll-free at (800) 404-5400.
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