UPDATE: Ejected victim ID’d after fatal 299E rollover crash near FRM

UPDATE: Oct. 26, 3 a.m.

FALL RIVER MILLS — Officials have identified a woman who died after she was ejected from an SUV that overturned during a solo-vehicle crash on Hwy 299E, west of Pit No. 1 Powerhouse Road in Fall River Mills.

The victim was identified as 20-year-old, Erica Adrienne Tooley, of Wenatchee, Washington. According to a coroner’s release, Tooley suffered major traumatic injuries as a result of the accident and was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency personnel.

 

FALL RIVER MILLS — A 20-year-old Fall River Mills woman has died and at least five other people were hospitalized – including two with major injuries – after a single-vehicle, rollover accident early yesterday evening. The deadly crash happened Monday, Oct. 22, on Highway 299E near Pit No. 1 Powerhouse Rd., southwest of Fall River Mills.

The crash was just one of three injury accidents along a 60-mile stretch of 299E within the last 24 hours, including another rollover that happened near Montgomery Creek and a “T-Bone” crash east of Beiber. All three crashes are still under investigation by CHP.

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Emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene just after 5:30 p.m., after multiple people called 911 to report a rollover crash. 911 callers reported an SUV had left the roadway and rolled several times, ejecting one of six people inside the vehicle.

When officials arrived they found a heavily damaged 2004 Nissan Armada that had overturned numerous times. Several witnesses and good Samaritans were at the scene, providing aid and comfort to those injured in the crash.

Based on serious injuries sustained by at least one of the surviving victims, officials requested an air ambulance to the scene and a Mercy helicopter was soon launched and headed to the area.

While firefighters and paramedics treated the injured victims, CHP investigated the cause of the fatal crash.

During their subsequent accident investigation, CHP determined 21-year-old, Burney resident, Elida A. Tooley, had been driving the Nissan westbound on Highway 299E just before the deadly crash. Witnesses reported seeing six people, including three women and three juveniles, inside the SUV.

As Tooley was headed down the grade approaching the final curve near the Pit River bridge she lost control and veered off the highway. The Nissan then overturned several times, ejecting one of the passengers.

According to witnesses the ejected victim, later identified by Action News Now as a 20-year-old from Fall River Mills, sustained major traumatic injuries. The woman succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Authorities have not yet released the victim’s name, pending further investigation and notification of the woman’s family.

Tooley and another occupant, reportedly a juvenile, were eventually airlifted to Dignity Health Mercy Medical Center in Redding with major injuries, according to Action News Now. 

The other passengers were transported by ground ambulances to nearby Mayers Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills for further treatment. They were reportedly treated and later released.

SEE RELATED:

One injured in 299E “T-Bone” crash in Lassen County

UPDATED: Officials investigating 299E rollover accident near Montgomery Creek

While CHP and other emergency personnel worked at the scene of the crash officials called for the temporary closure of 299E in both directions, due to numerous fire and rescue vehicles that had responded to the accident. The roadway remained closed for about nine hours and was reopened around 2:30 a.m. the next morning, after the conclusion of CHP’s initial on-scene investigation.

CHP is investigating the cause of the deadly crash, but have said that neither alcohol or drug intoxication appear to have been contributing factors in the accident. Their investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.