California Highway Patrol officers were kept busy this weekend
after collisions halted traffic on U.S. 101 twice in South
County.
GILROY – California Highway Patrol officers were kept busy this weekend after collisions halted traffic on U.S. 101 twice in South County.
All three lanes of southbound U.S. 101 north of Leavesley Road were closed Friday night after a two-vehicle collision.
Juan Lopez, 19, of Redding was driving southbound in heavy traffic at about 8:54 p.m. Friday when his 1990 Toyota Tercel rear-ended a pickup truck driven by Hollister resident Ty Rogers, 38, who had halted for stopped traffic ahead on the highway, the CHP said.
Although Rogers reported no injuries, Lopez and a 16-year-old female passenger were both airlifted to San Jose-area hospitals with complaints of pain to the neck and back. CHP officers said details were sketchy but both were reportedly treated and released Saturday.
An 8-month-old baby in the Tercel was strapped into a car seat and was reportedly uninjured.
Northbound U.S. 101 was closed early Saturday morning after a four-car crash just north of Cochrane Road in Morgan Hill.
According to the CHP, 18-year-old Caysi Green of Arastadero was driving a 1998 Chevrolet pickup at an unsafe speed in heavy rain at about 12:47 a.m. Saturday when she rear-ended a 1995 Mercury driven by 48-year-old Stephen Hulten of Gilroy, who had stopped for traffic stopped ahead of him.
The impact caused a chain reaction of collisions, the CHP said. Hulten’s vehicle struck a 2001 Ford driven by 38-year-old Rebecca Chargin of Hollister, whose vehicle struck a 1995 Nissan leading the procession.
A passenger in Chargin’s vehicle, 47-year-old Joseph Chargin, was transported to Saint Louise Hospital via ambulance with a generalized complaint of pain and later released after undergoing treatment for minor injuries.
