[UPDATE: 11 a.m.: Deceased Man Identified] One Dead After Crash Last Night
[Background image by Oliver Cory]
The first vehicle then flipped on its side. The driver of that vehicle was killed.
Craft said the occupants of the northbound vehicle all declined treatment and were released at the scene.
Officer Craft said he would have more details later today.
UPDATE 11 a.m.: The CHP has released the following information on this crash:
On 01-14-2020, at approximately 610 PM, the Humboldt Area CHP responded to a two vehicle collision on US-101 at Indianola Cutoff. Upon CHP arrival, it was determined that a 1991 GMC Jimmy, being driven by 48 year old William Clymer of Eureka, was attempting to turn from southbound US-101 to Indianola Cutoff. A 2019 GMC Yukon, being driven by 42 year old Michael Snorden of Indianapolis, collided with the passenger side of the GMC Jimmy as it crossed the northbound lanes. The impact caused the GMC Jimmy to overturn. Emergency medical personnel arrived on scene and provided aid to Mr. Clymer. However, Mr. Clymer succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased by medical personnel. The Humboldt County Coroner’s office has subsequently made notifications to Mr. Clymer’s immediate family.
Neither Mr. Snorden, nor his passenger, 34 year old Donna Rim of Alpharetta, GA, suffered any injuries as a result of the collision.
Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in this collision.
The CHP Humboldt Area Office is continuing to investigate this collision and asks anyone who may have information to contact the Humboldt Area CHP Office at 707-822-5981 or send an email to [email protected].
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This could be solved so easily by adopting Michigan’s “turn right to turn left” system. I am appalled
Do you know these roads? If you turn right when southbound on 101 and indianola then your car will be in the Bay.
You clearly do not understand what I wrote. If you turn right on 101 from Indianola, go north to the first crossover and make a u turn onto southbound 101…..you will have done what this guy was trying to do without getting killed.
In Michigan, the saying is “you have to turn right to go left”.
You clearly do not understand the CHP release. The driver of vehicle 1 was trying to turn left across the northbound lanes from southbound 101 onto the cutoff. While doing so he was struck by vehicle 2 traveling northbound on 101. No one involved was attempting to go southbound from Indianola. How could he have possibly turned right to turn left?
It’s funny when you point out someone’s wrong and they still can’t come to terms with it despite the facts being spelled out so clearly. Being wrong is ok, just learn from it!
No no no, I think what he meant was . . . turn right, go over Samoa bridges, turn right toward Manilla, follow right into Arcata, continue right into Bayside, follow to the Indianola cut off. Bam. Did it. Turn right to turn left. Easy as pie.
At the very least there should be a Traffic light there or better still an overpass like they finally did, at the junction of 101 & 36!!! after a Stupidvisor was killed!!!
You’re conflating two unrelated events. S upervisor Rodoni died in a vehicle accident several miles from the intersection with 36 and the new overpass. He didn’t die for lack of an overpass.
Oh theyre putting in your overpass at the indianola cut off….after they put more local businesses out of business by closing jacobs ave off to traffic, and just minutes before the 101 roadway you want to pass over goes under water from rising seas.
What a waste of money. 101 is headed under water from too many cars. Why not use caltrans billion dollars for a rail option between mckinleyville and fortuna?
In the meantime, why not slow the traffic down and tell people its a surface street?
When the safety corridor was first established many years ago it was reported to be a ten year temporary fix while CalTrans got their act together and made a permanent fix. At the time, it seemed there was a serious accident every month. Sixty to 65 mph was just too fast and dangerous for that stretch of highway.
Today people routinely drive 6o and even more on that stretch. Its very difficult getting across the northbound lane during hours of higher traffic. Judging safe distance, and a long wait for a lull in traffic while impatient drivers stack up behind you are two problems with this intersection (some of the impatient drivers will follow the first vehicle).
Not sure how Michigan’s “turn right to turn left” would work in this situation, but something definitely should be done.
The sooner the better, to save as as many lives as possible!!!
There’s nothing wrong with the speed of traffic, or the road. Similar highways elsewhere in the country are perfectly fine, and have much lower accident rates, despite often being much worse roads. We have a nice wide median, very gentle curves, long straights, no trees or signs in your view, and generally an ideal stretch of highway. Many of those similar highways have sharper turns, hills that you can’t see beyond, businesses with parking lots directly opening onto the highway, etc. And not nearly as many accidents.
I watched one of those accidents, back when you could turn left at the south end of jacobs. A girl in a silver car made a turn directly in front of a northbound semitruck. Early afternoon sun (not low enough to be a visibility issue), nice clear summer day. Absolutely not in any way the fault of the semi driver, the traffic, or the road.
Of course drivers behind you follow you. Traffic turning left onto the cutoff should not stop unless they need to wait for an opening in northbound traffic or yield to crossing traffic turning from the cutoff onto the highway. Not following you would be driving incorrectly.
I haven’t found it particularly difficult. Wait for an opening, step on the gas. Just like every other left turn everywhere else in the country. The biggest problems I’ve seen are people who think they need a 5-mile opening before they can cross, and back traffic all the way up into the fast lane. These same people also cause problems when there’s an opening big enough for several cars, so several cars start to go, then the front person just sits there, causing the other cars to stop where they’re blocking the space that traffic turning from the cutoff onto the highway needs.
I have no idea what “turn right to turn left” is in this context, and google isn’t helping. Closest I’ve seen to that are jughandles, which kinda work like that, but wouldn’t work on a multi-lane highway without a stoplight.
Oh, and for problems, people with their lights off at night. For some reason that part of the highway has a lot more ghost cars than elsewhere. I would assume alcohol is involved…
recently, it gets really plugged up around 5 or 6 in the evening. If I had to head South to Indianola, or South to Eureka from Indianola, why not Old Arcata Road? I’ve been seeing a line of cars waiting to cross backing up into SB 101.
There certainly is something wrong with that intersection. And the trouble comes from those who think they don’t have to obey the speed limits. Used to be that the traffic came in pulses initiated by the traffic lights all the way back in Eureka. But when some people started going faster (much faster) while others kept to the speedlimts, those spaces became peppered with speeders. The bulk of the drivers would be seen coming in a wall towards the people trying to turn and it became easy to overlook the speeders coming in advance of them, especially in the dark and especially the people trying to cross past the oncoming from the south traffic while trying to check the same issue coming down on them from the north.
Blaming cautious drivers for the irritation of pushy drivers having a different standard of risk is wrong.
Indianola and 101 has been a death trap since I have lived nearby. We raised children and had to endure their pulling out onto 101 for many years. Not only have I had a co-worker killed out there My partner and I drive daily and pull out onto 101. I have witnessed many “Near Misses” etc for many years (over 8 years). When I am headed home I set my cruise control to 50 in the so called “Safety Corridor” and drivers have no respect for the speed limit and speed on by. Last evening I drove home, northbound at approximately 5:30pm and even in poor weather drivers were speeding by…Yes, lowering the limit has decreased the number of Fatalities but awaiting the under/over pass has been a long time coming. I can’t wait until it is actually completed which will take a few years. Please abide by the speed limit with respect to your fellow human and yourself. There is a reason for the lower speed limit and reaction time.
On another note regarding the cut-off last night. PG&E had cones and trucks etc at the northbound corner and beyond and it caused some congestion when I exited the northbound cutoff just minutes before the accident.
About 20 years ago at a community meeting with Cal-Trans present we were told there has not been enough casualties at the intersection at 101 and Indianola to warrant an overpass. Which my response was, Looking around the room, well who else here has to die? My neighbor? My children???Hmmmmm well 20 years later, wonder if we have finally met their “Quota”
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2019/apr/18/caltrans-meeting-safety-corridor-project/
https://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/building-a-better-corridor/Content?oid=2349724
Reply
Actually, this man’s death is the first in a very long time at that intersection, thanks to the reduction in the speed limit to 50 mph and adding speed feed back signs. When Cal Trans up the speed limit to 60mph in the 90’s, the deaths at that intersection started climbing, since many drivers were doing up to 70 to 75 plus mph, due in part to that there were no feed back signs, and no flashing red light at the Indianola intersection for drivers crossing 101.
Trying to merge or cross with the pre Corridor traffic doing 65 to 70 mph was difficult, and could/did have fatal consequences.
Accidents went up when caltrans implemented the “safety” corridor, like they virtually universally do whenever speed limits are unreasonably lowered. You can pull caltrans’s own reports if you want to see this. There’s just been a lull in fatal accidents relative to overall accidents, which could have just as much to do with improved vehicle safety, especially the introduction of side-impact airbags and similar side-impact safety improvements, which happened at about the same time, than anything caltrans did.
Environmental review process is the reasoning behind the fact that there hasn’t been a logical fix to this deadly problem. Since frogs could be inhabiting the area the impact report and permiting process takes 20-30 years to complete. The solution is in process. Thank god Trump just signed a bill to expedite these projects from an average of 20 years to 2 years and end the environmental fascist regime.
Going the speed limit of 50 across that stretch of highway is terrifying. You could be minding your business & BAM! Cars shouldn’t have to cross infront of one another like that. Period. Dusk & dawn are notoriously difficult times to see. Definitely an avoidable but still very, very sad tragedy.
Condolences to Mr. Clymers family and friends. RIP. Folks please use extreme caution when turning and crossing the freeway. Something needs to be done now to make that a safer spot. Flashing lights, overpass, no more turning allowed there, or?
There already are flashing lights. And would you rather traffic be forced through sunny brae?
We could have an overpass, but instead we have a coastal commission.
The 4-5 cars sitting there forever at rush hour should go through Sunny Brae!
Bushytails, there needs to be more flashing lights, but going through Sunny Brae is better than being dead. I agree with you on the overpass. The Coastal Commission needs to give way for an overpass to be constructed now. I am sure if that had been one of their family members killed, things would change quickly to allow the overpass. I am sick and tired of all these groups putting stops to need road repairs. Time to make our voices heard loud and clear!!!!!
Yup. Preserving mudflat > preserving lives.
Michigan left turn explained:
https://www.michiganautolaw.com/blog/2019/12/11/michigan-left-turn/
Bless your heart.
Maybe you should have included more information. No need to be rude
That was actually one of the options Caltrans considered. Unfortunately, people here are at least as bad at merging as they are at making left turns.
If someone can’t perform a basic skill such as merging then they probably shouldn’t have a driver’s license. Maybe Eureka should require that as part of their driving test.
Years ago, I set two rules for myself:
1. NEVER make that left turn onto Indianola. NEVER. N-E-V-E-R.
2. Take all reasonable measures, always, to avoid , if at all possible, traveling on 101 between Arcata and Eureka.
So far, all remains well on this account.
Peace out.
NEVER make that left turn onto Indianola. NEVER. N-E-V-E-R.
Thanks.
But how do you get between Eureka and Arcata?
Peace
I’d assume they’re one of the idiots who drives half speed on either myrtle+old arcata or samoa blvd with a line of pissed off drivers behind them and never, ever pulls over to let anyone pass.
Problem solved…
You might want to talk to the tow truck drivers. I was told they pick up more vehicles on Old Arcata Road than they do on the 101 Corridor .
The first over pass in Redding went in out on Airport Rd. when I think Bing Crosby son flew in to visit at chistmas, Tried to pull out onto Highway 44 got tboned and killed. Just seems like somebody with connections has to parish before somebody says yes lets spend the money!
“… in out on …”
Three prepositions in a row. 😂
My grandparents use to live off Indianola Rd in the 70’s and I hated crossing 101 northbound traffic back then as a kid. Can’t even imagine what it’s like now with how people drive.
Easiest, quickest, and cheapest solution would be to do as ‘299 Commuter’ posted. Basically (if going southbound and you want to turn left onto Indianola Cutoff) you’d drive past Indianola Cutoff and make a u-turn at least 1/4 mile farther south. Have a long lane to allow cars to enter at the speed of traffic and merge into the high speed lane. Then gradually merge over to the right lane to exit at the cutoff.
Same principle would apply if going from Indianola Cutoff to southbound 101. You’d travel northbound, get into the high speed lane, make a u-turn and then have a dedicated lane to gain speed to merge with the cars in the high speed lane of southbound traffic.
No need for any studies, environmental impact report, analysis for the cost of running a stoplight 24/7 or bureaucracy. A few bucks on pavement and some paint and it’s done within probably a week. And there’s a Caltrans station just moments away so no excuses for not saving lives.
THAT….is a GOOD IDEA!
Nobody,
Thanks.
They should post that info., as a type of sign.
Save a lot of lives..
Sorry english is not my first language.
Last eve at aprox 5:30pm
the road and visual condition that I experienced prior to the fatal collision. I drive 101 north Monday thru Friday home from work in Eureka and Indianola is my exit. I have lived off of Indianola for over 25 years. My commute is only 15 minutes from Eureka and has been for over 6 years. When I first reached 101 Highway from Eureka there was a slight downpour and it was cloudy afterwards. Last eve at aproximately 5:30 when I was approaching the exit and getting ready to turn on my signal I was confused as to whether the exit was open due to a large utility Vehicle (PG&E? Eureka Utility Vehicle?) that was parked on the right across the road facing west back from the right lane merge corner onto 101 with flashing lights on and there were several other vehicles (aprox 5?) also lined up on the side of the road on Indianola on the westbound lane. There were several workers also on the side of the road. There were a lot of cones that were set up and I wasn’t sure for a few seconds if the off ramp was open. I could not tell if there was an accident but I had already turned on my signal as I was approaching the off ramp. When making the turn I slowed down and observed several more cones warning of vehicles or?
I do not know if the vehicles were still there at the time of the accident at 6:10 but they may have been a factor in visibility.
Part of the problem is the weirdly counter-intuitive nature of those intersections on 101, without VERY clear diagrams, road markings, or signs showing you your path. I wish i could put up a diagram here, but if you care to bear with me, this might make sense.
If you’re turning left to cross lanes going in the direction opposite to the one you’re leaving, you might find yourself confused as to where to travel within the meridian opening:
You can stay to the right when you’ve turned (that is, when you’re perpendicular to the direction you came from)–that is, go all the way to the far end of the opening– thus carrying on in the proper right-turn lane when you get onto Indianola or Bayside or Jacobs Ave, etc.–and thus necessarily have to cross over the path of motorists coming FROM those perpendicular roads onto the 101 lane you’re leaving…
Or, if you were doing a U-turn, as suggested in the “Michigan turn” concept, you would do better to stay back, to the left in that very short stretch of roadway that crosses the meridian, because then you have little chance of colliding with anyone–anyone entering the intersection would be heading away from you. For instance, if you were going southbound, you’d get in the left lane, hug the meridian island on your left, and end up merging into the left (fast) lane of northbound traffic. A tight counterclockwise half-circle. (I suspect this is NOT the way you’re supposed to do it. But suppose a break in the median were used ONLY for U-turns… if there were no perpendicular roads to confuse things. Then wouldn’t it make sense for each direction to hug the turn closest to them, and never have to intersect with traffic turning the other way, which they’d necessarily do if they stuck to the “keep-right” concept?)
But… if you were in a crossover intersection where there are two possibilities–you could either go across, perpendicular (seemingly better to do in the furthest, or in the example, south-most part of the clearing), or you could make a U-turn (seemingly better to do in the closest, north-most part)–then what do you do?
Because the answers to these positioning questions aren’t clear, people sit there nervously and just want to get the hell out of that vulnerable limbo as soon as possible. My solution would be to mark with arrows and lane lines, very clearly, in fresh reflective paint, the safest paths to each possible turn.
Which involve, when exiting from southbound at the Indianola exit, not only crossing the path of oncoming freeway traffic, but also the path of Indianola traffic crossing the northbound lanes to get on 101 south. It’s hairy!
Laura,
thanks.
That area is a desthtrap, a cluster bleep.
Maybe they should not allow any crossings until the over pass or whatever is built.
Peace.
I travel this intersection and it IS confusing, regardless how you do it. There is always a crisscross of traffic and the worst is when the 2nd car doesn’t wait for clearance and instead blocks the intersection.
I like the painted direction idea.
Reposted from jack griffin
“Folks, if you’re waiting to make a left turn across north-bound US101 at any of the cross-overs, here’s a suggestion:
Drive to the next cross-over, wait for space in the left-hand lane.
Pull into traffic and accelerate up to the speed of adjacent vehicles.
Make a safe transition into the right-hand lane.
Take the exit/turn-off at the cross-over you were at.
You will save time and, such as this tragedy, save your life.”