By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
The California Highway Patrol and the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office released information on Monday regarding Sunday evening’s fatal vehicle versus motorcycle accident.
At about 6:35 p.m. on Sunday, March 2, a 40-year-old Hamilton City man was driving a 2022 Tesla west on Highway 32, approaching Sacramento Avenue, the easternmost street that intersects with Highway 32 in Hamilton City. The name of this driver was withheld in both the CHP’s and GCSO’s news releases,
Also in the Tesla were two children, a 14-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, both from Hamilton City. Their names were also withheld.
The Tesla driver had turned into the left turn lane with the intention of turning left onto southbound Sacramento Avenue.
Jeremy Steven Rosales, 43, was driving a 2022 Harley Davidson motorcycle east on Highway 32, approaching Sacramento Avenue. The CHP’s news release says that Rosales was from Forest Ranch, while the sheriff’s log says he had a Butte Meadows zip code.
The Tesla driver began turning left as the Harley Davidson approached. According to the CHP, the Tesla driver did not see the Harley as he began his turn.
According to weather websites, sunset was at about 6:01 p.m. on Sunday, with twilight ending at about 6:27 p.m., so the sun would not have made it difficult for the Tesla driver to see. The CHP’s news release does not specify whether the Tesla’s and Harley’s headlights were turned on.
The motorcycle struck the left front of the Tesla. The motorcycle and its rider continued traveling east, where it struck the stop sign at the southeast corner of the intersection of Highway 32 and Sacramento Avenue.
Rosales was ejected from the Harley. Deputies found him alongside the road.
He was unresponsive and Hamilton City firefighters began performing CPR. Westside Ambulance personnel arrived and Rosales was pronounced deceased at 6:56 p.m.
Sweet-Olsen Family Mortuary of Orland later arrived and took possession of the body.
No injuries were reported for the driver of the Tesla. Both of his passengers sustained minor injuries. All the occupants were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the collision.
Jeremy Rosales was wearing a helmet when the accident occurred.
Neither drugs nor alcohol were a factor in the incident.
The Glenn County Observer 