CHP Releases Details on Fatal Pedestrian Accident in Redway

CHP Feature FatalityPress release from California Highway Patrol:

On March 4, 2017, at approximately 2017 hours, a 1994 Peterbilt tank truck driven by Leroy Thomas [age 33 of Garberville] was traveling southbound on Redwood Drive, just north of Redway Drive.

A pedestrian [age 50 of Redway] was walking northbound on Redwood Drive, within the northbound lane for vehicle travel.  It was dark, rainy and the roadway was wet.

For reasons still under investigation, the pedestrian continued walking in the roadway and the front of the Peterbilt collided with him.  The pedestrian was thrown approximately 60 feet and came to rest on the west shoulder of Redwood Drive.  The pedestrian sustained major injuries as a result of the collision.

Redway Volunteer Fire Department, City Ambulance of Eureka and Humboldt County Sheriffs Deputies assisted CHP with medical aid and traffic control.

The pedestrian was immediately transported to Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville by City Ambulance.  He was later taken to Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna.  The driver of the Peterbilt was uninjured and evaluated for DUI, which did not appear to be a factor.  The pedestrian succumbed to his injuries on March 5, 2017, at 0750 hours.  Humboldt County Coroner case number 201701057.

The pedestrian’s name is being withheld, pending next of kin notification by the Humboldt County Coroner.  This incident remains under investigation by the Garberville CHP office.

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onlooker
Guest
onlooker
7 years ago

If this report us correct, the pedestrian and the truck would have passed each other, each in his own lane of travel.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
7 years ago
Reply to  onlooker

“Was walking northbound on Redwood Drive, within the northbound lane for vehicle travel”. BOTH NORTHBOUND. North! Allegedly, it was “dark, rainy, and the roadway was wet.” See, we have had a very wet winter. Maybe check the weather reports for the past four or five months.

From the report, it seems that the pedestrian was breaking several rules of road-walking which sadly is a Darwin issue. Number One: always walk on THE SIDE of the road, not in the middle. Always walk on the side Of the road FACING on-coming traffic. This allows ped. to note on-coming traffic and gives an additional few seconds for evasive action, if needed. Be extra careful on dark, rainy, road-slick winter nights.

I surmise that the ped. was walking northbound in the northbound lane and was hit from behind. Suicide by truck-driver. Never saw it coming because he was NOT facing on-coming traffic. Very sad.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
7 years ago

I apologize for using “Darwin” in commentary on a tragic accident. I seriously am sorry, friends and family.

SourTangant
Guest
SourTangant
7 years ago

“On March 4, 2017, at approximately 2017 hours, a 1994 Peterbilt tank truck driven by Leroy Thomas [age 33 of Garberville] was traveling southbound on Redwood Drive, just north of Redway Drive.

A pedestrian [age 50 of Redway] was walking northbound on Redwood Drive, within the northbound lane”

Lost Croat Outburst (sounds like a troll name)
Try reading it again. Brandon was walking in the Northbound lane & the truck was traveling Southbound.

Spinnerholm
Guest
Spinnerholm
7 years ago

Agree with onlooker. Sounds like the truck was in the wrong lane?

SourTangant
Guest
SourTangant
7 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Thank you Kym!! I appreciate everything you do & all your hard work. You rock girl!!

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
7 years ago

Or the pedestrian crossed into the SB lane….

spam
Guest
spam
7 years ago

Who laid down this narrative…were there witnesses other than the truck driver?

Will his 15 year old kid ever know?

Pen
Guest
Pen
7 years ago

I saw this accident right after it happened and the truck was well within the southbound lane traveling south.
Anyone wishing to cross the street to go to the shell station must do so at a high risk.
There is no safe place to cross. It is a complete blind spot corner with bushes that block view for driver and pedestrian alike.
I imagine if he were walking north he was probably stepping around that corner and didn’t even hear or see the truck.
When it’s raining the water runs deep all the way around that corner and you have to step into the street to avoid being ankle deep in water.
There are no crosswalks anywhere down the street that allow for safe crossing of redway drive.

spam
Guest
spam
7 years ago
Reply to  Pen

Thanks, pen, for your take on it.

I’m almost exclusively a pedestrian, and Humboldt has not been kind to my own self. Other locales seem to be more amenable to those without cars.

My personal pet-peeve (one of ’em, anyways) is tinted windows. Hard to make eye contact with drivers of lethal machinery that way!

SourTangant
Guest
SourTangant
7 years ago
Reply to  Pen

Maybe this would be a good opportunity to ask the county for more crosswalks. With all the issues we have with cars not stopping for people even in the crosswalks, we should push for the crosswalks that light up when someone is crossing. They seem to have them all over Eureka & Fortuna.

Even if community members need to donate towards them, I feel that it’s a necessity in SoHum lately. I am willing to donate towards them. Anyone else?

MOGTX
Guest
7 years ago

I wonder how many yrs living in Humboldt makes one cosidered a local ?5 yrs 20 yrs ? I think a local is when one is born in Gerald Phillips hospital ,and lived all there life here .just sayin .so sad that people are playing death buy flogger it seems

guest
Guest
guest
7 years ago
Reply to  MOGTX

i would think that at least one qualification is that someone actually knows the name of only hospital within 100 miles?phillips?really?

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
7 years ago
Reply to  guest

Yeah, LOL on that one. Very funny. Complaining about non-locals and can’t even name the hospital that qualfiers must be born in, and it’s the only hospital for miles.

The Trump Cancer is infecting everything. Sorry, broke my own rule, but I can’t help it. Our beloved nation circles the drain and almost half the electorate cheers its demise.

SourTangant
Guest
SourTangant
7 years ago
Reply to  MOGTX

MOGTX

There would be very few locals, in your opinion. I believe if you live here & it’s your home, it shouldn’t matter how long you’ve been here.

I’ve been living here full time for 10 years now & my family has owned property in SoHum since 1978. My father built us a cabin with his own hands so that he could teach his family the importance of taking care of & living off the land & that you don’t need amenities to be happy.

Since I was 3 months old, i have been coming up here regularly & have spent a countless amount of time here. I feel that I grew up here just as much as where our other home was. I learned how to drive on our dirt road & learned how to swim in the Mattole River.

In your opinion, since I wasn’t born here, I’m not local.

I am a community member who loves SoHum & takes care of our land & our community.

Would you consider me local?

MOGTX
Guest
7 years ago

But I think that this case was a complete accident . sorry for all affected buy this man’s death .,but I think a lot to of these type of cases is suicide buy car .why would he be walking on the road I’m sure he had a car or truck of his own .could have been broke down .

spam
Guest
spam
7 years ago
Reply to  MOGTX

I know, right?

You’re not a *real person* unless you own a motor vehicle./s

Bozo the Clone
Guest
Bozo the Clone
7 years ago

Way more often than I would like, while driving at night, and it could be anywhere (HWY 101 or a local two lane road), I come upon people riding a bike or just walking along the road right on the fog line or close to it, while wearing not ONE article of light or reflective clothing. Some are even wearing camo gear! This is a possible indication that person is not thinking well…or maybe had two tokes too many.
I am not saying that this was the case in this unfortunate tragedy, but hopefully, this can be
a wake up call for some folks who really are not sure if they want to win a Darwin Award!

Peace Out!
Bozo the Clone/George Monroe

spam
Guest
spam
7 years ago
Reply to  Bozo the Clone

Where were you guys?

What took you so long to get here?/s

Glad you’ve got it all covered…

Mark
Guest
Mark
7 years ago

Brandy was one of my good friends and I will miss him greatly rest in peace my friend.The real tragedy is two families will be dealing with this for the rest of their lives

MOGTX
Guest
7 years ago

I think I was I fifth grade,and my class mate .his name was David huck I believe he was walking on the right shoulder headed to North coast road were he lived with
his mom ruby huck.David was struck in the back of his head with a vehidle side veiw mirrors I can’t remember how far he flew ,but it was a long way .Kym how old were we when this happen .5th or 6 the grade .my point is this is not the only incident on this stretch of road

MOGTX
Guest
7 years ago

Well at least you know what I’m talking about .

MOGTX
Guest
7 years ago

Well at least you know what I’m talking about .come to think of it we were in Jr high I’m pretty sure.

SourTangant
Guest
SourTangant
7 years ago

Everyone seems to have their opinions about what happened & speaks freely without any thought to the fact that his poor son will be reading your posts & has now lost both parents within a year.

I know you all want to say what you “think” may or may not have happened. All I ask is that you please be respectful to the fact that his son, his family & all his friends are reading your awful posts.

How would you feel if you had to read these awful things about your family member?!? I am completely disgusted with the “community” members who seem to forget that he was one of us. This could have happened to any of us as it was an awful accident.

He was a truly good man & I can’t believe that all of you want to pick apart a man’s life without any facts or evidence to back it up. It was NOT suicide by car!!

I beg of you to please be respectful!! Don’t do it for me. Do it for his 15 year old son & his Mother.

When did it become acceptable & fun to torment people & “troll” on Kym’s news site? This is a site that is supposed to keep us informed & bring us together as a community. Not tear people down.

Brandon is not some drifter causing issues. He’s a member of our community & a human being who lost his life tragically. The community who knew him is heartbroken. Please respect that.