A man and woman were killed and three others, including two
tourists from Germany, were seriously injured in a head-on
collision that shut down Pacheco Pass Highway for more than an hour
Thursday.
A 75-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman, both from Highland,
were pronounced dead at the scene just east of Casa de Fruta, the
Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office said.
A man and woman were killed and three others, including two tourists from Germany, were seriously injured in a head-on collision that shut down Pacheco Pass Highway for more than an hour Thursday.
A 75-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman, both from Highland, were pronounced dead at the scene just east of Casa de Fruta, the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office said.
The names of the victims were not released by the coroner’s office pending notification of their next of kin.
The California Highway Patrol said a 70-year-old Coalinga woman, who was riding in the same 2001 Buick Century as the fatal victims, was taken by helicopter to a trauma center at San Jose Medical Center where she is listed in critical condition and being treated for a broken jaw and massive injuries to her body, the CHP said. The woman’s name has not been released.
Walter Rammonat, 63 and his wife Doris, 61, tourists from Hamburg, Germany, were taken by helicopter to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center where they are reportedly being treated for cuts and scrapes to the body and head, and pain in the back, the CHP said. The Rammonats are currently listed in stable condition.
The 1:20 p.m. accident occurred when the unidentified Highland man was driving westbound on Highway 152 in the Buick Century with the two unnamed women at about 55 mph, CHP Officer Terry Mayes said.
For an unknown reason, he failed to negotiate a small right curve in the highway as his sedan passed Casa de Fruta and allowed it to drift into the center median, the CHP said.
In an attempt to get back on the road, the driver overcorrected his steering to the right and then overcorrected his steering to the left which reportedly sent the Buick traveling out of control, the CHP said.
The Buick crossed the center median and traveled into the opposing eastbound lanes where it struck an eastbound 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander driven by Walter Rammonat, the CHP said.
Investigators said Rammonat never had a chance to avoid the head-on collision.
“He didn’t even have time to break,” when the Buick collided into the front of the car, Mayes said.
Crash investigators initially said they had trouble assessing the Rammonats’ condition.
“They didn’t speak any English, but fortunately (an officer) who was at the scene spoke fluent German,” Mayes said. “We were very lucky.”
Mayes said the accident is still under investigation and there are no indications alcohol or drugs played a role in the accident.
Anyone who witnessed or has information about the
accident should call the CHP at: (408) 848-2324.
Assistant editor Jed Logan contributed to this report
