Fortuna Couple Trapped, Another Motorist Dies in Mendocino Collision

Press release provided by the California Highway Patrol:

On Sunday, November 1st, at approximately 1:40 in the afternoon, The driver of a Volkswagen was driving southbound US-101 through a curve [just south of mile marker 52.6 in Mendocino].  A recent rain had left the roadway wet.  A Dodge pick-up, driven by W. Johnson was northbound US-101 and approaching the curve.  The VW driver lost control of his vehicle and struck a dirt embankment on the southbound shoulder of US-101.  The VW ascended the hillside and overturned, returning back to the road.  [William] Johnson, the driver of the northbound Dodge pick-up, swerved to the right to avoid a collision with the out of control Volkswagen.  The Volkswagen overturned across the lanes of US-101 and contacted the front of the northbound Dodge pick-up.  The Dodge pick-up was forced off the edge of the road and overturned onto its roof.  Both parties [William and Sharon Johnson of Fortuna] were temporarily trapped in the Dodge.  The driver of the Volkswagen was pronounced dead at the scene.  This collision is still under investigation.  It is unknown at this time if alcohol and/or drugs were factors in the cause of this collision.

 

Assisting at the scene of this collision were CalTrans, the Little Lake Fire Department, CalFire, and Veri-Health Ambulance.