[Update: Reach Cancelled] Caltrans Employee Injured in Vehicle Crash on Hwy 101 Near Leggett, Air Ambulance Dispatched
Stock photo of Reach 80/Williams 331’s helicopter [Photo courtesy of Jesse Blair]
The incident occurred around 9:38 a.m. on Highway 271 parallel to Highway 101 in Northern Mendocino County. According to the California Highway Patrol Traffic Incident Information Page, the employee was involved in the collision and initially reported to be attempting to self-extricate from the vehicle.
Scanner traffic confirmed that the driver was able to get out of the vehicle without assistance. Cal Fire personnel from the Howard Forest station and other emergency units responded to the scene, located just south of Leggett.
REACH Air Medical Services accepted the call and dispatched a helicopter to transport the injured party. The full extent of injuries is not yet known though the CHP Traffic Incident Information page states the “driver appeared okay.”
Please remember that this story is unfolding. Information is being reported as we gather it. However, some of the information coming from witnesses and initial official reports could be wrong. We will do our best to get the facts but, in the case that something is inaccurate, we will update with correct information as soon as we can.
Update 10:14 a.m.: According to scanner traffic, the air ambulance has been cancelled.
Additionally, the Department of Transportation is advising on what type of tow truck should be requested for the wrecked Caltrans vehicle that the CHP log is describing as a water truck.
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Yikes! Relieved to see air ambulance isn’t necessary.
I’m working as a subcontractor for multiple Caltrans and Public Works projects in this region. A lot of these projects are starting early this year due to favorable weather. There’s a large multi-site culvert and drainage upgrade project occurring all summer between Hum/Mendo county line and Scotia.
I know specific details regarding this incident aren’t available, but it serves as a good reminder to all of us on local highways to be vigilant of construction crews and to avoid distracted driving.
Absolutely. I’m always mindful of CalTrans workers… my husband worked for them a couple of seasons as extra help. We still have his CT hard hat.
It’s a nice reminder, but this story seems to read that the CalTrans employee was the “distracted driver” who had the wreck. Nobody else was involved.
I wonder if the person’s employer would have been in the headlines if they worked for Safeway. Asking for a friend.
Oddly enough, we have an easy answer…Yes. https://kymkemp.com/2024/12/23/one-injured-after-crash-on-101-north-of-myers-flat/
Also, I’m pretty fond of Caltrans workers as a whole. My family worked for the agency for almost 100 years.–my grandfather from the 1920’s, my father (and one of his brothers) from the 1960’s and my husband from the 1990’s on until he retired a few years ago.
Dose Safeway have Water Trucks? Sure Don’t Hear much about Them Safeway Truck Driver’s Crashing! But Here’s one For you! Have you Ever Driven a fully Loaded Water Truck? And Have to make a Emergency Stop! Guess What¿ You Might just Get the Truck Stopped¿ When the Water Slams you Foward about 4 feet and Then a Moment Later it Slams you Agin and Over the Bank you Go! Remember the Water will Push the Tank where Ever it Pointed! Not the Direction you have the Front tires Turned! See You! 👀
If the employer was Safeway and the employee crashed a Safeway truck, it probably would be mentioned.
It was a state employee driving a state truck on the clock, why wouldn’t that be mentioned?
Sorry for the employee what an absolute embarrassing thing to go through not only is it news worthy, but now your whole community is speculating what, why and how, along with the shit your whole crew is gonna give you.
As a side note these are our tax dollars at work as every caltans sign will tell you.
They were mowing south bound 271, the water tender was behind the mowers. Running along the shoulder. The shoulder was soft and gave way causing truck to over turn.
That’s an Awh Chit Moment! I Rolled a Skip loader in the Same kinda Situation! The Backhoe’s Were Dumping the Dirt over the Bank While I was Smoothing it out and Trying to Pack it in! One Spot was Soft¿ and I was Dragging it Smooth! The Loader And Dirt Went Downhill And Sideways for about 40 yards!😳 😬