[UPDATE: Reopened] Fatal Accident Closes Highway 101 at Leggett

Traffic Accident Day

Around 2:40 Scanner dispatch called to California Highway Patrol announcing there has been a traffic collision at Leggett in northern Mendocino County on the 101 at mile marker 91.21

A reader wrote 2:50:

“Any idea why 101 has come to a screeching halt north of Laytonville? Son is in stopped traffic, ambulances trying to get through, and folks in cars traveling opposite him (he is headed north) are signaling them to turn around.”

Will update as soon as I learn more.  in the meantime, please remember it is the first rain of the season and use caution

[UPDATE 3.06PM] brief conversation with CHP Garberville office.  Officer did not have additional information except that the incident is at the junction with Highway 1 at Leggett.  He, however, did not know whether closed is both directions.

[UPDATE 3:25] a KMUD caller who was in that area explained that travelers can use the 271 that goes from the 101 junction with Highway 1 past the Leggett school and the drivethrough tree to South Leggett exit and get around the accident safely.

UPDATE 5:25 p.m.: Reader Laura Cochrane who took the following photo said this was a three car accident and one person was killed. There were multiple serious injuries, according to Cochrane. She believes that a southbound Toyota Tacoma swerved into northbound traffic hitting an SUV and killing the driver and seriously injuring a passenger of the sedan behind that. The driver of Tacoma has a broken leg, she said, but the passenger is okay.

We want to stress this is not the official final report but the opinion of one person who was at the scene.

Traffic accident

[Crop of a photo by Laura Cochrane]

UPDATE: The road is reopened.

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42 Comments
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Zims
Guest
Zims
5 years ago

You get get around accident by using the 271 thru Leggit. We just did it. South bound being detoured automatically. Looked bad, at least 4 cars involved.

Chief
Guest
Chief
5 years ago

Heard there was a fatality and someone had a heart attack.

Concerned citizen
Guest
Concerned citizen
5 years ago

Yep stay off the highway. Ut detour thru leggett town driving past the drive thru tree..white truck is upside down and totalled and theres a fatality but not the person driving the whote truvk apparently

Truck driver
Guest
Truck driver
5 years ago

Probably one of the worst accidents I think I’ve seen ever somebody’s not going to make it home for Thanksgiving people please slow down turn on your headlights make yourself be seen. It’s better to be there late than not to be there at all sad

Truck driver
Guest
Truck driver
5 years ago
Reply to  Truck driver

That was the 3rd accident I saw today, coming up from Ukiah Northbound at Ridgewood there was the first one with a dark blue Toyota drivers side down. As we are slowly passing that one a red jeep cherokee going southbound came flying up the hill caught some air spun half way around, came back across the lanes and hit the center barrier. Luckily no one else was involved in either of those two wrecks. And probably only minor injuries. And then what an hour later, maybe, this one.

Dave Kirby
Guest
Dave Kirby
5 years ago
Reply to  Truck driver

I came back on HWY 20 from Williams this morning. A few miles east of the lake came upon sedan upside down on the right shoulder. Ten minutes later flares lead to an SUV thats being wrenched up from the lake. Wild and wooly out there and sounds like worse to come.

political moderate
Guest
political moderate
5 years ago
Reply to  Dave Kirby

But is not so much wild and wooly out as just lot of people never will grasp that road conditions change when it rains not to mention first rain in forty something days. Moths to a flame.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
5 years ago

The number one shock to me about California vs. Ohio driving is that Californians often refuse to adjust their driving to ambient weather and road conditions. Rain, snow, fog, sleet, frost, it doesn’t matter; pedal to the metal, devil take the hindmost.

One niner.
Guest
One niner.
5 years ago
Reply to  Truck driver

I saw a few coming North from SF as well and heard about more. I’m not going to preach since I make mistakes and most people have plenty of sense. It’s just sad and I hope this helps us at some level to either reinforce what we already know or gain more care for others around us.

Midnite
Guest
Midnite
5 years ago
Reply to  Truck driver

I bet you see a lot truck driver..

Oregon mom
Guest
Oregon mom
5 years ago
Reply to  Truck driver

My biggest problem was trucks driving with brights through the fog. I couldnt see and nearly missed two different turns. Lights are important but please DONT FOLLOW CARS WITH YOUR BRIGHTS ON.

Mariahgirl
Guest
Mariahgirl
5 years ago
Reply to  Oregon mom

Alot of trucks drive all of the time with fog lights and they are very blinding. And then there are the idiots who add more lights thinking they are cool or the different colored lights. These should be against the law.

chasi
Guest
chasi
5 years ago
Reply to  Mariahgirl

Could not agree more. People are being blinded by these asses.

TJ
Guest
TJ
5 years ago

Man thats two accidents in recent weeks where a vehicle is sheered in half. It makes more sense in this situation how its possible. That other one made little sense.

With the amount of baffoonery I see just in the safety corridor, that goes completely unchecked it doesn’t surprise me, but still sad. What a horrible way to spend your time leading up to thanksgiving, mourning or being concerned if family members will pull through.

Please take a deep breath and be considerate on the road, at least for the holiday weekend, if that is the best you can do.

Capitalist pig
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  TJ

Don’t forget after rain the highways are slippery slow down and be safe

Local
Guest
Local
5 years ago
Reply to  Capitalist pig

First rain after large breaks are always bad it loosens up oil and grit making roads highly slippery! Be careful out there so sorry to hear……

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago

so the southbound driver that swerved into the northbound lanes had a heart attack?

Concerned citizen
Guest
Concerned citizen
5 years ago
Reply to  TQM

No he did not hava a heart attack i heard he said he hydroplaned..je ended up with a broken leg

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago

was probably driving too fast if he hydroplaned.

Grasshopper
Guest
Grasshopper
5 years ago

Either that ,or he was tailgating thru the narrow road and couldn’t wait to seconds for divided road…

Lone ranger
Guest
Lone ranger
5 years ago
Reply to  Grasshopper

Yep, you got it , see many impatient drivers use north bound turn lane as a passing lane, sooner or later there will be a north bound using turn lane, only 500 ft to the passing lane ,south bound racers ,respect others and wait patiently, thank you

LSteven Day
Guest
LSteven Day
5 years ago
Reply to  Lone ranger

That northbound left turn to S.R. 1 is how I get home. Downhill 101 north to the junction is steep! Bad enough tailgators Nbound, but impatient Sbounders using that lane OMGawd.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
5 years ago

2nd one this week. Please be careful coming through there. Its dangerous.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

1st significant rain in 6 months, lots of oils on the road. Drive slower than normal, brake easy. Prayers to all involved .

IronTravler
Guest
IronTravler
5 years ago

Took the detour about a half hour ago, 101 is still closed. Cal-trans and police were still on scene.

Home&dry
Guest
Home&dry
5 years ago

SLOW DOWN.
BETTER A FEW MINUTES LATE THAN NEVER ARRIVING AT ALL.
SLOW DOWN, LEAVE ROOM, LIVE

Midnite
Guest
Midnite
5 years ago
Reply to  Home&dry

Right

j
Guest
j
5 years ago

At 7:30 PM, the tow trucks were driving away with two vehicles involved. Detoure still in place.

Anon
Guest
Anon
5 years ago

Triggered. 😭😢😭😢
RIP SUV driver heal fast sedan passenger and Tacoma driver, may the fallout be not more than you can bear. A broken leg pales in comparison to civil litigation .

Got Rosin?
Guest
5 years ago

❤️

DELLIB
Guest
DELLIB
5 years ago

I was kinda shocked at the pics, then I started to get angry, but I don’t even know the story, but regardless our society is thrown together as a mass group of people, who knows who is who? One person holds the torch, one person derelict. One yellow line separates your life from theirs. Last night I read that scientists discovered marijuana impedes response and learning in rats. They say rats have 90% of the human genome. Today I watched a stoner trying to clear an isle with another cart in the way. He was oblivious pushing his cart through a stack of wine bottles at the grocery store knocking down cases shattering on the floor.

Lost Croat Outburst
Guest
Lost Croat Outburst
5 years ago
Reply to  DELLIB

What stoner? You sure? On what? Hadda be weed. Are you medicated right now? Seems like it, so it must be. I said so. “One person hold the torch, one person derelict”. What is that? Are you drinking and typing?

DELLIB
Guest
DELLIB
5 years ago

Hey don’t lash out at me man, just saying our society is fucked. Hope you don’t have to drive.

Firefighters wife
Guest
Firefighters wife
5 years ago

What store?

Anon
Guest
Anon
5 years ago

Hydroplaning?
Excessive speed for conditions , poor tire inflation and worn tread all contribute to hydroplaning..

I see the shittiest condition, and grossly under inflated tires on some rigs, honestly ? Please starve yourself for 3weeks if it means driving a truck that has good deep tread!!

In humblt, if u live in the hills your tires get thrashed ,and you basically need new ones EVERY YEAR . Not saying this guy had crappy tires but c’mon . If it means you can take someone’s life and destroy that of their loved ones you better deal with it.

john
Guest
john
5 years ago
Reply to  Anon

A car can hydroplane at 45 mph, with good tires, and on a straight road, during early rains. Happened to a friend of mine on southbound 101 just over the bridge crossing the Eel where you turn off to Honeydew (or Founders Tree). Everyone here knows the place. Between the bridge over the Eel, and before the overhead bridge just south. Those redwoods along the bank were only 20-30 feet tall at the time, so it was awhile ago. A ten year old girl died that day. Doubt she was wearing a seatbelt. Believe it was 1967.

Midnite
Guest
Midnite
5 years ago
Reply to  john

Ya that scary..there were times I only went 45mph cuz it was raining so hard..today

miss purty
Guest
miss purty
5 years ago

I knew I’d be driving for the holiday and would have my mother in the car…bought new tires 1st thing last week. She lives at that intersection, we’re from Leggett and I have to say amazing as it seems, there have only been a handful of accidents at that intersection over the 40 years we’ve been around, a few of them having been over the last few years.

Time for Tires
Guest
Time for Tires
5 years ago

Time to trade those summer slick tires in for some safe winter tires. Roads are slick with oil from all summer and spring, many people have
old bald tires,

Antlerdance
Guest
Antlerdance
5 years ago

The first storm of the year and CHP warns that the roads are wet and slick with oil, ect…Slow Down!

Midnite
Guest
Midnite
5 years ago

I saw the minor accident today..Spyrock/101. I had ominous feeling…driving easy,got to bottom & I see all these cars lined up on both sides. There was a wreck & car was on its side up against cliff face..hugging wall..idk how far it slid before getting there.The weirdest part was there was no emergency services there,but realized it was that recent. Scared shit out of me,I drove under speed limit all the way to Willits to see family. Most other drivers were actually doing same,so that was good..it was raining heavy n u r supposed to drive according to conditions. It was amazing all the people who were stopped & helping..people are still good.

bella
Guest
3 months ago

that was my aunt..