Working at scene of jackknifed big rig near Mt. Shasta, CHP officer’s vehicle struck from behind

December 29, 2021 Trevor Montgomery

MT. SHASTA, Calif., — A CHP officer was lucky to escape serious injuries after a motorist plowed into the back of his patrol vehicle Tuesday, Dec. 28.

The officer had been investigating an earlier reported crash involving a big rig that had jackknifed while traveling along the southbound I-5 near Mt. Shasta, according to CalTrans District 2.

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California Highway Patrol – Yreka and other emergency responders were working at the scene of a jackknifed tractor-trailer combo when another vehicle approaching the scene of that accident lost control along the highway’s snow and ice-slicked roadway and smashed into the back of the parked CHP patrol vehicle, CalTrans later reported.

CalTrans explained that both drivers were not using proper caution for the driving conditions, leading to the back-to-back accidents.

Already investigating a traffic accident involving a big rig that jackknifed on I-5 near Mt. Shasta, a CHP-Yreka officer’s patrol vehicle was heavily damaged when another motorist lost control on the snow and ice-slicked highway and smashed into the back of the officer’s vehicle. CalTrans District 2 photos

“No matter how much driving experience you have, or what kind of weather you’re driving in, you should always remember one simple rule; never drive faster than what is safe for current road conditions,” CalTrans officials said in a social media release after the crashes.

“This big rig driver did not follow that one simple rule,” they continued; adding, “Thankfully everyone involved was okay but this is a powerful reminder of how quickly driving recklessly can lead to a bad situation.”

CalTrans went on to say, “When driving in inclement weather, please slow down, pay attention, watch out for other drivers, and chain up when instructed.”

The southbound lanes of I-5 were closed for about an hour and a half while the wrecked vehicles were cleared from the roadway.

Click any image to open full-size gallery.

CalTrans District 2 photos

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Trevor Montgomery, 50, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS).

Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.

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 30 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 18 grandchildren.