A 56-year-old woman who was driving her vehicle in the wrong direction on U.S. 101 south of Hollister died after colliding head-on with another motorist, according to authorities.
About 1:15am Aug. 19, Catherine Henry, 56, of San Anselmo, was driving a Toyota Camry northbound on U.S. 101, in the southbound lane, just south of Highway 156, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The Toyota collided head-on with a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze, which was traveling south on U.S. 101 southbound as the Toyota approached, police said.
Moments after the initial accident, two more vehicles traveling southbound were unable to avoid the wreckage and collided with the Toyota and Chevrolet. A Mercedes Benz CLS 63 traveling south attempted to drive between the wrecked Toyota and Chevrolet, but was unable to do so and collided with the front of the Toyota, according to police.
A GMC Sierra, also traveling south, attempted to go around the now three-car accident on the right side but collided with the Chevrolet, according to police.
Henry, the driver of the Toyota, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, police said.
The driver and passenger of the Chevrolet Cruze were transported to area hospitals with major injuries, CHP said. A passenger in the GMC Sierra was also transported to the hospital.
Southbound U.S. 101 was closed in the area of the accident for about three hours following the collision.
As of Monday morning, CHP said it is unknown if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the Aug. 19 collision.
Anyone with information about this collision can call the CHP Hollister-Gilroy Area office at (408) 848-2324.
