Emergency crews are responding to a serious crash Tuesday morning after a vehicle plunged into a creek off Highway 175 near Pratt Ranch Road east of Hopland, trapping the driver inside. An air ambulance has been dispatched and is landing nearby to provide medical transport.
According to the incident commander at the scene, the vehicle is sitting in approximately four feet of water, and extrication is underway. The driver has sustained major injuries.
Radio traffic and the California Highway Patrol Traffic Incident Information Page indicate the vehicle’s brakes may have failed before it veered off the roadway and into the creek around 5:24 a.m.. The crash site is reportedly barely visible from the highway.
UPDATE 6:14 a.m.The Incident Commander reported that the driver has been successfully extricated from the vehicle. A tow truck is being requested to the area, and the vehicle is reportedly 40′ down an embankment where it came to rest in the creek.
Please remember that this story is unfolding. Information is being reported as we gather it. However, some of the information coming from witnesses and initial official reports could be wrong. We will do our best to get the facts but, in the case that something is inaccurate, we will update with correct information as soon as we can.
As my sons used to say, “Car go fast, not stop, go boom!” Or should I say splash? Some people say speed kills, but I have always felt it was stopping unexpectedly that was more of an issue. I hope everyone is okay.