Hwy 36 Closed and Man Injured After Traffic Accident
A traffic accident closed Hwy 36 at approximately 12:45 p.m. today and a man was injured. The pickup he was driving plowed into a tree at approximately mile marker 12.6 near Swimmer’s Delight.
According to Heidi Dawson-Graham who stopped to help, “The kid was going way too fast.” She said that he “passed a truck with cattle and lost control….”
The Dodge Dakota he was driving struck a redwood tree and “totaled the truck,” Dawson-Graham believes. She thinks he might also have broken his right leg.
The road reopened by about 1:36 p.m.
UPDATE:
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Another casualty of a combination of things… Driving too fast on Hwy 36, passing when you shouldn’t, driving while stupid, amongst others too numerous to list!!! What is surprising is I have yet to hear or see the “Meat Wagon” go by to haul off the rubbish from the hiway!!!
Small wonder I didn’t see or hear the Ambulance that’s around 7 miles West of me!!! So of course I wouldn’t see or hear them!!! I’m further up the road from there!!!
Glad he is going to be ok – a broken leg won’t be an easy or fast recovery but I just cannot stand to hear when there are fatalities. Redwood Trees tend to be VERY unforgiving.
Agreed 250% one thing dumb drivers always forget… Redwood Trees DO NOT MOVE, period, end of story!!!
This same idiot has been endangering lives out there. He has passed me on blind corners on 36 a couple of times.
One can only hope that this is a wake up call for this kid. He was a nice guy and got REAL lucky this time. Might not be as lucky next time
Precisely, VERY LUCKY!!!
He wasn’t driving a white ram with duallys was he.
No, it was an older red Nissan. I was passing through and saw the clean-up
CHP pulling it out of the road
Thank you!
You’re welcome. I’ve tried sending you the minute long video but nothing wants to upload it; Facebook, gmail, etc. /:
It takes about five minutes to make a youtube account and they are the best for handling this sort of thing (It is also cool for sharing videos with family and friends.) But your photo was awesome and I don’t need the video if you don’t want to take the time.
Glad the boys ok and hope this is a lesson, we drive this road often we never ever pass anyone and pull over and let anyone behind us pass. It might take us a few minutes longer but luckily we have made each time. Stay safe Humco
Please don’t pass on this road unless there’s a passing lane. Be courteous and use a turn out. We live very close to this spot and have seen so many horrible accidents. Take your time folks.
Live near the Carlotta fire hall and walk about 75 yards to the mail box. Every day, people are going 55 or more through the 45 zone. CHP and sheriff could bank tickets if they would take the time; plus do the people living here a huge favor. Always wonder if I will make it home!
You seriously want to be and officer standing anywhere on hwy 36 writing a ticket? They need to set up a speed trap with their lasers and then wave the violators into the Old Mill site to be ticketed. Move the show around weekly. Works great on I-5. One guy stands on the bridge with the laser the other guys and gals tag and bag.
Sad, you have to wonder if you will make it home, should not have to think about that.
Very lucky hez not dead.
Fortunately, there wasn’t anyone in the passenger seat.
Ouch!
If your going to drive like that you need to mount a few chain saws on the front of his truck
Lmao. Could totally see that on a lifted ram 6.7
Claymores
This pickup was passing a car going east and came within 1 ft of hitting the pickup hauling Cattle head on . The cattle pickup locked up brakes and risked the life of cattle to save this persons life. The cattle pickup also had an infint in it that this person driving like a maniac risked that baby’s life. Unfortunately people pass and drive like this daily on Hwy 36. We used to see officers regularly out here. Now with a new CHP Commander we only see officers when they have accidents they have to attend to. A law enforcement presence is needed in a bad way on Hwy 36.
The seeing officers of the CHP only when there is an accident is sadly very common & has been for quite some time, in my part of Bridgeville on Hwy 36!!! (Swain’s Flat)
Bad spot.maybe they should start posting pictures of the wrecks that have happened on that road,like as road signs or on trees.”THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SPEED!or texting,or just not paying attention. I hope he’s ok!!
I was the driver of the truck and trailer full of cattle. He was trying to pass a car in front of him both east bound but I was west bound causing him to swerve back into the tree! I have lived out 36 my entire life and I have never seen the traffic so bad. There is no reason to be any where out here fast! I am thankful my new baby my animals and I are all ok.
Derf… Ummm, corners are banked wrong… Really craZy corners! Come on kids, drive slower and safer!!!
gotta say it folks: CAN’T FIX STUPID
Yeah, and you can’t fix dead which is what often happens when stupid isn’t fixed. I quit driving 36 over a month ago because it was obvious to me that I wasn’t going to be able to avoid the stupidity. I have driven 36 for over 50 years and give me a loaded truck of logs over an idiot in a grow dozer any day. The road is worn from over use and it has some corners that are potentially dangerous, especially if you are drunk, stoned, impaired in some way and stupid. But generally it is decent road if you obey the rules and the speed limit. I have never driven 36 without seeing at least 2 CHP’s. Maybe they are scared too. So, perhaps they show up just to clean up the mess.
Yeah, but if he could have made it past that car, he would have got to where he was going 20-30 seconds sooner!! Come on people!!! (sarc)
I hate the jerk drivers up here from the city, who still drive like they’re in LA/SF. I’m more worried about the tree this jerk damaged.
I took the 36 last week and realised a lot of the time the posted 50 mph speed limit is way too fast for the many redwood tree lined hairpin turns that are not forgiving of mistakes. Many of these roads like the 36, Avenue of The Giants, Centerville Road, etc need the speed limits lowered, not just yellow sign suggested speed on curves. I love riding my bicycle in the redwoods, but I would never ride along avenue of the giants unless I wanted to be killed because people drive well over the 50 mph posted speed. They even fly through the towns with 45-35 mph speed limits. High speed is for Interstate 101, not tight two lane state and county highways.
Slow down and enjoy that you don’t live in the rat race of the city anymore, don’t bring your rat race cutthroat driving mentality up here. Because Redwood Trees don’t yield the right-of-way to anyone no matter how badass you think you and your vehicle are… And they shouldn’t have to when you’re in the forest.
Lucky, he didn’t kill anybody else, a broken leg is a small price to pay for his stupidity.
As a 36 resident I see people drive way to fast but I also see people driving way to slow and not doing the curtious thing and pull over for traffic that is more comfortable or able to travel the speed limit. Its very frustrating because there’s plenty of pull outs, and is just as dangerous as going to fast because people will become angry and pass cars in unsafe spots.
Too many accidents on 36!
I live out here and risk my life to go to and from work because of the way people drive out here. The speed limit is not fast enough for them I guess. I also guess we are not important enough to have a police presence out here either :0(