[Update: Open] PG&E Truck and Car Collide Head-On Near Highway 36; Vehicle Reportedly on Fire
Emergency personnel are responding to a serious collision involving a PG&E service truck and another vehicle along southbound U.S. Highway 101 near the State Route 36 offramp, just south of the intersection, according to the California Highway Patrol Traffic Incident Information Page.
The crash was reported around 2:09 p.m. Tuesday. Initial reports indicated a silver car and a PG&E truck collided head-on, with the car going off the roadway and catching fire. Scanner traffic suggested there may be someone trapped inside one of the vehicles.
Loleta Fire Department Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department and other emergency units are on scene, and CHP updated the incident to a traffic collision with medical personnel en route. The wreck is located near Chapman’s Gem and Mineral Museum, just south of the Highway 36 exit.
As of this report, southbound lanes may be partially blocked.
Additional details about injuries or the cause of the collision have not yet been released.
Please remember that information gathered from initial reports is subject to revision as more facts become available.
Update 2:34 p.m.: According to scanner traffic, at least one person has died as a result of this collision with at least one more injured.
Update 2:45 p.m.: The CHP log indicates that the southbound lanes of Highway 101 will be closed from the Wildwood Avenue exit to Rio Dell north to the Highway 36 exit.
Update 2:58 p.m.: The driver of the silver or grey sedan that caught fire following the collision is being transported to an area hospital with burns to the face, neck and ear, along with hip pain and seatbelt contusions obtained in the head-on collision.
Scanner traffic indicates there is some confusion at this time if the person that was pronounced deceased at the scene was a passenger in the sedan at the time of the collision.
[Photo submitted by RHBB reader]
[Photo by Anthony Perez]
UPDATE: The roadway is completely clear.
Update: Some Names Released in Fatal Crash North of Rio Dell Yesterday
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Dang! I hope no one’s trapped in anything!
Oh I’m just heartbroken. 💔😢 I’m so sorry to the families of all involved. Including first responders.
I’m curious how it was a head on collision, in the slow lane on the southbound side? At a glance it looks like someone was in the wrong lane!
There’s an intersection nearby, kinda like those along the Safety Corridor between Eureka & Arcata.
Safety Corridor collisions are generally T-bone. I’ve can’t remember if there’s ever been a head-on there. But then again, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast.
If you look on the map there is a house right there and a small intersection
Head on collisions happen on highway all the time. A NB vehicle could cross the median and into the path of a SB vehicle. Not saying this is what happened here but your comment seems to think it could not be a head on.
A head-on collision and maybe someone was in the wrong lane?
No shit Sherlock.
Entering the highway from Metropolitan rd by Chapmans can be dangerous. Someone was not paying attention I fear.
Does anyone know if it was a male or female driving the car?
Scanner traffic indicated the driver was male.
Da fuck’s that got to do with anything?
They might be trying to identify if it’s a person they’re concerned about that drives a similar vehicle.
How fucking dare u post these photos. Someone died in this. Someones loved one perished in that smoke. And you get your rocks off by posting pics? Wtf is wrong with you
We were warned, Caleb. I understand your feelings, though.
you better get thicker skin to live in this world
Caleb, while you may be upset by photos, others are appreciative of photos as some are visual learners that want all of the information. Posting a photo or withholding a photo does not make this tragedy any less heartbreaking. And while I can appreciate that you personally don’t want to see these photos, you can choose to not view them, but if we don’t publish them for your preference, those that do, are prohibited.
Photojournalism is a valuable part of journalism and is the “eye-witness” account that provide details many can’t verbalize.
Maybe it was someone that he knew…???
Maybe it was someone that he loved…???
_________________________________________
“…it’s important to remember that empathy is not a limited resource.”
“Let’s strive to extend the same grace to others that we would hope to receive ourselves.”
-Guess Who-
“…it’s important to remember that empathy is not a limited resource.”
“Let’s strive to extend the same grace to others that we would hope to receive ourselves.”
-Lisa Music-
___________________________________
“Empathy, like any human trait, isn’t flawless. But it’s hard to imagine a world worth living in without it.”
-Kym Kemp-
https://kymkemp.com/2025/07/11/432658/#comment-1848375
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Which recent poitical celebrity said something like “empathy is toxic”?
Yes, Charlie Kirk once said, “I can’t stand the word empathy, actually. I think empathy is a made-up, new age term that — it does a lot of damage.”
just FYI the whole quote is: “I can’t stand the word empathy actually. I think empathy is a made-up, New Age term that — it does a lot of damage, but it is very effective when it comes to politics. Sympathy I prefer more than empathy.”
So…
Where’s all the plentiful “empathy”…???
Yeah that smoke was my relative, thanks for your concern. This is what’s wrong with the world today, more concerned about being nosey than human life – a beautiful soul.
That’s very rude to ascribe disgusting motives to people just doing their job. And to cuss and moan. I find such photos worthwhile in feeding my own reluctance to go out on the highways at all, and i hope some people see them to remind them of the stakes if they don’t heed, “Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel”– and drive at a safe speed.
Not saying this was avoidable. Who knows what may have happened. But in general, caution is warranted when driving down the freeway, and this kind of news reminds even the most carefree of youth that it’s a heavy responsibility.
There’s no patients or victims in any photos. It was a huge wreck, blocking 101. There’s nothing unusual about the coverage of this unusual, sad event.
Grow up. This is journalism, as well as reporting. Any news organization would show such pictures or even video because it’s news worthy. You don’t have to come to this website and if it were television news, you can turn it off. Some of us want to see such photos; it helps us to process the incident for better understanding. Yes, we’re aware someone died, but the pics don’t show bodies. So I don’t know what your complaint is.
Caleb you need to chill the fuck out bro.
Maybe put your mask on and go outside for a minute, you seem easily frustrated.
You said get your Rocks Off, it’s near Chapman Gem and Mineral go figure. How Dare you.
The in stream aggregate extraction plant is on the other side of the Van Duzen River Bridge…
Trained by Laidlaw school bus driver
here. Something has got to wake people up. The statistics for headons has sky rocketed since the onslaught of miocarditis after the waxjabbers. It’s called suddenly unalighved.
What to provide links to that? Like actual data?
I was stuck in the traffic jam for about a half hour or so. I went to ferndale and took blue slide road to Rio dull and then back on hwy 101 south nice detour.
Exactly what happened to me.
You two seem made for each other.
The sliver vehicle was driving north at a very fast speed and crossed over and hit the PG&E truck head on. The PG&E truck flipped over and landed right side up. The PG&E man was able to exit through the window. Since the driver of the silver car made it to the hospital the passenger of the silver car must be the one who was killed.
I have witnessed these kinds of accidents, and it’s hard to understand how fast they happen. I was travelling southbound on I5, north of Sacto, when a pickup going north suddenly veered and crossed a 60′ median and crossed I5 about 30′ in front of me, and then entered an irrigation ditch with a huge splash.
At 70mph, meeting 70mph, you have zero time to react, let me tell you. If I’d been 30′ farther down the freeway, this pickup would have hit me head on, with nothing I could do about it.
In most cases, there’s nothing stopping vehicles from crossing over into oncoming traffic on our highways. I try to stay in the slow lane away from opposing traffic. I hope everyone survived.
I like to stay in the slow lane to avoid hitting deer.
I drive in the left lane so I have more time and space to react to kamakazi deer.
I say that Humboldt deer suffer from seasonal affective disorder and as a result, are suicidal.
😜
A very bad accident. My most sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased person. May they RIP. God bless our great first responders!
Humboldt County II District Supervisor Roger Rodoni was killed in a head-on collision near this site in 2008 when a southbound vehicle crossed into the northbound lanes. His wife was following him in another vehicle. She was not involved in the accident. I believe they were travelling to a reelection campaign party in Rodoni’s honor.
I remember that accident well. He was driving a Ford F-250 at the time, but it was not strong enough to protect him. Mr. Rodoni was a great Humboldt County II District Supervisor. May he continue to RIP. Nothing a wife should have to ever witness.
A short way south of this accident was another head on where a drunk driver was going north in the southbound lane and went head-on into a woman with a child in the car.
All died. Close to Chapmans museum.
This wreck is in-between the van dozen bridge and Chapman’s. There is a turn off for a road but it is on the otherside of the road. There is a driveway on the southbound side. Maybe someone was turning into or out of the driveway. But that wouldn’t be a head on collision. The location of the cars makes it appear as someone was going north in the southbound lane. At any rate it is a very tragic wreck.
I see they crossed the median. That makes sense. I was stuck on them driving the wrong way . Still that is a straight stretch for atleast a half mile!
The worst part is the center median starts at the bridge and continues all the way eureka. They should continue that concrete center divider .
Dear Lisa Music,
My name is Madison Beurer, and I really appreciate the information you’ve shared. I’m a journalist for the Redwood Review at Academy of the Redwoods (AR), which is an accelerated high school program that shares a campus with College of the Redwoods.
Yesterday, due to the tragic accident, my bus route was canceled along with those of seven other classmates who ride the Southbound Benbow public bus. The farthest any of us live is in Garberville, so it was definitely a challenge getting home, but thankfully, we had help.
Since this accident has affected our AR community, I’m writing an article about the event for our school newspaper. In my article, I plan to cover what actually happened, the community’s response in this comment section (which has shown everything from sympathy and respect to anger and heartbreak ), how the accident affected things, and how our school community was impacted. I think its also a good opportunity to talk about how during tough times like these we need to be there for each other and know that people directly affected by things like this might have a hard time managing their emotions and most importantly that we need to be more careful on the roads.
I already have quite a bit written, but I was wondering if you might be willing to clarify a few details for accuracy. If needed, you could also email me privately.
Here are my questions:
Thank you so much for your time and any clarification you can provide. I want to make sure my reporting is accurate and respectful.
Sincerely,
Madison Beurer
Student Journalist, Redwood Review
2nd Year student/Sophomore at Academy of the Redwoods
Club President and Founder of AR’s Redwood Poets Society
Club president and Founder of AR’s Co-ed Volleyball Club
Great journalistic style, Madison.
I noticed the “I am a Robot” comment, no podcast or date was offered for verifying the Charlie Kirk statement about empathy. Just hard to believe….. Soooo, how bout it???
https://x.com/JasonSCampbell/status/1580241307515383808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1580241307515383808%7Ctwgr%5Efefee103a441065b1ae18600143f755b1f319062%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.snopes.com%2Ffact-check%2Fcharlie-kirk-empathy-quote%2F
“The confirmation of Charlie Kirk’s quote by multiple sources, including [1], [1], and [1], suggests that the statement is not entirely misleading, but the lack of context and additional viewpoints could create a biased understanding of the issue ”
https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/charlie-kirk-empathy-comments-71afc3
Frankly those who accuse people they dislike with of a lack of empathy seem to deliberately misuse the word. For such as those, it is down to object to their misuse of the word and suddenly it turns into a accusation of not having empathy. It basically comes “Don’t agree with me, then you have no empathy.”
Really empathy is a tool to understanding that has been weaponized into an excuse for their own lack of empathy for people they don’t want to understand.
Yeah too soon for all of these questions and to be nosey as the family is having a HARD time coping with the loss of such a young beautiful human. Be respectful.