News

Three people were killed last night in a head-on crash on U.S. Highway 101 north of Rio Dell caused by a car driving north in the southbound lanes.

The identities of the deceased are being withheld until their families can be notified, according to the California Highway Patrol.

At 10:37 p.m. yesterday, the CHP's dispatch center received a report of a Toyota truck traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of U.S. highway 101, followed about six minutes later by a report of a head-on collision that left both vehicles engulfed in flames near Metropolitan Road.

Emergency personnel arrived at the scene to find a 2015 Toyota Tacoma and a 2010 Mercedes Benz blocking both lanes. The driver of the Tacoma and both the driver of the Mercedes and their passenger were pronounced dead at the scene.

"At this time, it is unknown exactly where the wrong-way Tacoma entered U.S. 101," the CHP reported in a p press release. "It is also unknown at this time if drugs and/or alcohol contributed to the cause of this crash."

The collision remains under investigation and the CHP asks anyone with information to call (707) 822-5981. The full collision report can be found here.