Two die in Glenn crash

By Larry Judkins

Glenn County Observer

Two men died and three people suffered major injuries in a head-on collision Monday morning in the community of Glenn.

At about 6:15 a.m. on Monday, August 23, the driver of a 2002 Ford Explorer pickup was traveling north on Highway 45, south of Highway 162, in Glenn.

There were three passengers in the Explorer: a 35-year-old woman, an eight-year-old boy, and a 10-year-old boy. All of the Ford’s occupants were from Caldwell, Idaho.

The driver of the second vehicle, a Hamilton City man, was traveling south on Highway 45 in a 2000 Chevy Malibu, approaching the Ford.

For unknown reasons, the Ford traveled into the southbound lane, into the path of the Chevy. The two vehicles collided head-on.

The drivers of both vehicles were pronounced dead at the scene. The three passengers in the Ford Explorer were transported with major injuries, two by helicopters and one by ground ambulance.

Two ground ambulances were called to the scene. It is not clear why a total of four medical transport vehicles were needed, since two of the five people involved in the accident were pronounced dead at the scene.

The first helicopter at the scene, the Enloe FlightCare helicopter, was on the ground at 6:47 a.m. It was back in the air at 7:04 a.m.

The second helicopter, Reach 7, was on the ground at 7:07 a.m. It took off, presumably for U.C. Davis Medical Center, at 7:15 a.m.

According to CHP Officer Rodney Pozzi, all of the adults were wearing their seatbelts. Unfortunately, safety equipment for the children was not in use.

The woman and the eight-year-old were transported to Enloe Medical Center in Chico, apparently one by helicopter and one by ground ambulance. The 10-year-old was flown to U.C. Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.

The names of the victims are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Both lanes of the highway were blocked, and there was an extended road closure while a lengthy extrication took place.

At 7:24 a.m., firefighters announced they would be committed at the scene for at least an hour. Although most fire units were released from the scene by about 9:30 a.m., the scene wasn’t entirely turned over to the California Highway Patrol until about 10 a.m,

The vehicles were removed by Bambauer Towing of Orland.