The California Highway Patrol is investigating whether the
signal lights at the intersection of Highway 156 and San Felipe
Road could have both been green, possibly causing two big-rigs to
collide head-on last week.
Hollister – The California Highway Patrol is investigating whether the signal lights at the intersection of Highway 156 and San Felipe Road could have both been green, possibly causing two big-rigs to collide head-on last week.
The accident sent both drivers, Leonard Zapien of Hollister and Chicago resident Waldemar Chorowski, to the hospital with serious injuries. Chorowski remains in critical condition at Stanford Medical Center. Zapien was last reported to be in fair condition at Stanford. CHP spokesman Chris Armstrong could not confirm if he’s been released yet.
Zapien was making a left turn onto San Felipe Road and Chorowski was traveling eastbound on Highway 156 when they collided in the middle of the intersection. Witnesses said both drivers had green lights.
“A hypothetical concern is that there could have been a signal malfunction,” said Armstrong. “We are checking into Caltrans to see if there’s any chance that they do have a record of what the signals would have shown.”
District 5 Caltrans spokeswoman Marta Bortner said if a signal malfunctioned the lights would either go to flashing red or blank – not all to green. Although the signal functions are not recorded, the way the lights are programmed would not allow corresponding signals to be green at the same time.
“I don’t believe it can happen. It can go to four-way red, but it can’t go to four-way green,” she said. “That’s what the default is when there’s a malfunction.”
Armstrong said he believes the left-hand signal was red, while the through signals were probably green.
“The signal light for through traffic, which is circular, could have turned green but the arrow might not have been green,” he said. “Hypothetically, he could have seen the through signal and assumed he had a left-turn arrow.”
The collision pinned Zapien inside the cab of his mangled truck for at least an hour. Chorowski was ejected, a signal light was uprooted, and the highway was closed for hours.
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or em*******@fr***********.com
