1 killed, 8 injured in Highway 12 crash

The westbound section of Highway 12 between Stony Point and Fulton Road was closed between noon and 4 p.m. and is now open.

(All photos by Ezra Wallach)

CORRECTION: In this version of this article, we removed the graphic videos taken at the scene of the crash. We apologize for their earlier inclusion.

UPDATE: We have also updated the article to show that Highway 12 is now open as of 4 p.m.

UPDATE: According to the Press Democrat, the single fatality from the accident was Pat LaFortune, 78, of Sebastopol, a retired track coach and history teacher at Cardinal Newman High School.

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Just before noon today, approximately 11 cars collided on the westbound section of Highway 12 near Fulton Road, with one being totally engulfed in flames.

“A big rig traveling westbound was unable to stop prior to coming up to traffic and struck 10 other vehicles, causing a chain reaction collision,” said California Highway Patrol Sergeant Ken Enger on the scene. “One of the vehicles became fully engulfed. The party was trapped and unable to get out and was determined to be deceased at the scene.”

Eight other individuals with moderate to minor injuries were transported to area hospitals, according to Sergeant Enger.

The deceased’s vehicle burned for over ten minutes. Workers at the PG&E office nearby on Occidental Road rushed to the scene attempt to extinguish the fire. Minutes later the Santa Rosa Fire Department arrived.

As of 3 p.m., officers were still on the scene collecting evidence and working to transport the body of the deceased. According to Enger, they were “measuring where all the vehicles were, taking photos, getting aerial footage, calling the coroner's office, and getting Caltrans to clean up the roadway."

“[We are] just just ensuring that we do a good investigation,” Enger said. Enger said he expects the westbound section of the highway between Fulton and Stony Point Road to be closed until 5 or 6 p.m. on Thursday, but in fact it reopened at 4 pm.