UPDATE: Two confirmed dead after fiery wreck at Buckhorn Summit
UPDATED: Saturday, Aug. 15, 12:15 p.m.
See Original Story below.
SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. — Officials have confirmed that two people were killed in a fiery, head-on collision that happened on Hwy 299W just east of Buckhorn Summit, near the Shasta/Trinity County line yesterday afternoon.
Officials have since reported a Toyota sedan was traveling east on SR-299W when, for reasons still under investigation, the driver crossed over the double-yellow line into oncoming traffic when the vehicle plowed head-on into a westbound pickup truck.
The tremendous impact caused both vehicles to burst into flames, killing both drivers.
Officials have not yet publicly identified the drivers, pending further investigation and notification of the victim’s families.
Several witnesses have since come forward with first-hand accounts describing that just before the deadly crash the driver of the Toyota had been seen driving recklessly, speeding, tailgating, and passing the double yellow lines into oncoming lanes of traffic.
Those allegations remain part of CHP’s ongoing investigation.
This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.
Original Story: Casualties feared in fiery wreck at Buckhorn Summit
SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. — Several people are feared dead after a fiery, two vehicle, head-on wreck on Hwy 299W just east of Buckhorn Summit, near the Shasta/Trinity County line about thirteen miles west of Whiskeytown.
Although firefighters have contained the blaze, which spread to nearby vegetation and began climbing the nearby mountainside, officials have not yet been able to make access to the still-smoldering vehicles to determine how many victims were involved, according to a CHP incident log and official radio traffic.
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CHP, Cal Fire-Shasta, and other emergency personnel were dispatched to the scene about 2:35 p.m. this afternoon, after receiving reports of a two-vehicle accident with both both vehicles fully engulfed in flames.
911 callers also reported that one or more people were possibly trapped inside at least one of the wrecked and burning vehicles and that the fire was spreading to nearby vegetation.
911 callers reported some victims may have been able to exit one of the involved vehicles, but advised emergency dispatchers that nobody was seen exiting the second vehicle. Richard William Sonneland image
As emergency responders began arriving in the area, they found both directions of travel blocked on the winding, two-lane mountain roadway; forcing emergency vehicle traffic to travel in the wrong direction to access the scene of the crash.
Officials located two burning and completely unrecognizable vehicles against the highway’s guardrail, with witnesses and good Samaritans helping direct traffic past the scene of the crash.
According to CHP’s incident log, firefighters brought the blaze under control around 3:07 p.m., but officials had not yet attempted to access the wrecked vehicles.
As officials continued to work at the scene they implemented one-way traffic control and CHP requested CalTrans update the area’s Changeable Message Sign and issue an alert via the Highway Emergency & Weather Advisory Bulletin.
Citizens assist with traffic control before CHP and other emergency personnel arrived at the scene of this afternoon’s fiery wreck. Ralph William Sonneland image
As of CHP’s latest update at 3:13 p.m., officers was still working to clear the eastbound lane of the highway so it could be re-opened and were still working to determine the cause of the deadly collision.
This is a developing story that will be updated as new information becomes available.
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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; 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 29 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 16 grandchildren.