News

Two McKinleyville women were killed Thursday in a crash on State Route 299.

According to the California Highway Patrol, they were traveling eastbound toward Lord Ellis Summit in a gray Hyundai Tucson around 12:40 p.m. as a Kneeland resident was driving westbound in a Ford F-550 when the vehicles collided head-on, causing the Hyundai to collide with a Kenworth semi-truck trailer that was traveling eastbound.

“The (21-year-old) female driver of the Hyundai and her passenger, a 30-year-old female from McKinleyville, sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene,” the CHP release states. “The driver of the Ford sustained minor injuries and the driver of the Kenworth was uninjured.”

The release states that DUI is not believed to be a factor and all parties were wearing seatbelts. The crash, which closed down the highway for two hours, remains under investigation.

The CHP is not releasing the names of the women who were killed pending notification of kin.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of these two young lives lost as a result of this tragic incident,” the CHP release states.

Read the full release below:

On the afternoon of Thursday, April 20, 2023, the CHP Humboldt Area office responded to a fatal traffic crash on SR-299, west of Lord Ellis Summit, that resulted in the tragic death of two occupants.

A preliminary investigation revealed that at 12:39 PM, Derek Clayton McIntosh of Kneeland was driving a white Ford F-550 Ford service truck westbound on SR-299, west of Lord Ellis Summit. A 21-year-old female from McKinleyville was driving a gray Hyundai Tucson eastbound on SR-299 towards Lord Ellis Summit.

The Ford and the Hyundai collided head-on, causing the Hyundai to then collide into an eastbound 2020 Kenworth semi-truck trailer driven by Ryan James Noland of Shasta Lake. The Ford and the Hyundai came to rest blocking SR-299.

The female driver of the Hyundai and her passenger, a 30-year-old female from McKinleyville, sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Ford sustained minor injuries and the driver of the Kenworth was uninjured.

The CHP Humboldt Area office is investigating this traffic crash. DUI is not believed to be a factor, and all occupants were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash. SR-299 at the crash scene was closed for two hours while the scene was investigated.

Thank you to the many agencies who assisted with this incident including Caltrans, Blue Lake Fire Department, Arcata-Mad River Ambulance, the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office, and the Yurok Tribal Police Department. The names of the deceased are being withheld at this time and may be released at a later date in an updated press release.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of these two young lives lost as a result of this tragic incident.