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Tag: Accident

Police: suspected hit-and-run driver crashes into wall on Antelope Rd

A fireman with Metro Fire observes damage done by a suspected hit-and-run driver after the vehicle crashed into a wall, Monday. // CH Sentinel

Updated June 14, 7:25 p.m.–
Police said a suspected hit-and-run driver fled the scene of a vehicle accident on Antelope Road Monday morning before striking another vehicle and smashing into a wall on the opposite side of the road.

Officer Anthony Boehle said police responded to the accident scene near Antelope Road and Sunrise Boulevard shortly before 10 a.m. Monday to find a teal Volvo smashed into a wall while four other vehicles involved were located nearby on the side of the road. Based on witness statements and an initial investigation, he said the Volvo is believed to have been driving in “an unsafe, reckless manner” while fleeing the scene of an accident about a half a mile away at Antelope Road and Mariposa Avenue.

According to Boehle, the fleeing Volvo was possibly trying to pass slow-moving vehicles in the eastbound direction of Antelope Road when the driver hit a vehicle in the opposite direction of traffic, crossed over two lanes of westbound traffic, and then crashed into a wall.

Police said the two occupants of the Volvo were transported to the hospital with minor injuries and at least two of the other vehicles involved had to be towed from the scene. Several lanes on Antelope Road were briefly closed to allow for emergency vehicles to respond to the scene.

Update: Reached by phone Tuesday evening, Sgt. Michelle Perez said the case is still under investigation and police are “still working on charges.” She said blood and sobriety tests are part of the investigation.

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June 14, 2016
Escaped horse dies after being hit by car; 3 men injured

A small vehicle sustained significant damages after colliding with a horse, Wednesday. // Courtesy, Metro Fire

Updated Dec. 31, 6:50 p.m.–
Fire officials said a horse was killed and three men were injured after an early morning vehicle-versus-animal collision occurred at the intersection of Auburn Boulevard and Hackney Way in Citrus Heights, Wednesday.

The crash occurred shortly before 1 a.m., involving major damage to a small vehicle which collided with a full-sized horse near Sylvan Middle School. According to Metro Fire, the horse had reportedly escaped its paddock and was in the roadway with three other horses when the collision occurred.

Fire officials said the impact threw one horse onto the hood and over the top of the car, crushing the windshield. Three men in the car were taken to the hospital with minor-to-moderate injuries, with one passenger requiring extrication from the vehicle. The other three horses were not injured.

Photos of the accident scene taken by Metro Fire show the vehicle with its roof partially collapsed, front bumper ripped off, and significant damage to the hood and windshield.

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According to a Fox40 news report Wednesday night, the owner of the horse was devastated and declined to speak on camera. A nearby neighbor, Rita Perry, told the TV news station that she rode on one of the horses in the past and said it would be missed.

[Watch Fox40 report: Horse Hit, Killed by Car in Citrus Heights, Remembered as Beloved Pet]

Citing Wednesday’s auto vs. horse collision, fire officials advised the public via their Facebook page to “always wear a seatbelt” and minimize distractions while driving, as “something unexpected can happen at any moment.”

December 30, 2015
Pedestrian hit on Auburn Blvd; police seek witnesses

Citrus Heights police investigate the scene of a vehicle versus pedestrian accident, Sunday morning.

Updated Sept. 22, 12:34 p.m.–
The Citrus Heights Police Department is seeking additional information from the public as officers investigate a Sunday-morning collision on Auburn Boulevard involving a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle.

The collision occurred just before 1 a.m. near Kanai Avenue, resulting in a portion of Auburn Boulevard being closed down for about four hours to allow for an investigation, according to a police news release issued Sunday. Police said a preliminary investigation revealed the pedestrian was not in a crosswalk, and several witnesses on scene said the pedestrian did not have the right of way while crossing.

“The car who had the green light hit him and he flew up in the air,” said Ethan Gillian who witnessed the collision after coming out of the nearby Rocky’s 7440 Club. The pedestrian was provided medical treatment at the scene and transported to a local hospital and listed in “critical condition,” according to Officer Anthony Boehle. As of Monday afternoon, Officer Boehle said he did not have an update from the hospital on the pedestrian’s condition.

Police said the driver of the vehicle was cooperative with the investigation and officers believe speed was not a factor in Sunday’s crash.

Witness William Bish initially told The Sentinel that a silver Mitsubishi, which was observed on scene in the middle of Auburn Boulevard, had struck the pedestrian. Officer Boehle later confirmed on Tuesday that a white Prius was the only vehicle involved. The Prius had been sectioned-off with crime scene tape about 100 feet away from the accident scene and had a severely smashed-in front windshield and damage to the hood.

[See photo: white Prius involved in pedestrian collision]

Sunday’s collision occurred within a few feet of where a 26-year-old woman was struck by a vehicle on Valentine’s Day earlier this year. She passed away a few days later from injuries sustained in the crash.

Three pedestrians have died on Citrus Heights streets this year; two of which have occurred on Auburn Boulevard.

[Related: Pedestrian fatality on Auburn Blvd marks 3rd killed this year]

In Sunday’s press statement, police reminded pedestrians “to use caution when crossing the roadway, and to use crosswalks and pedestrian signals when present.” Anyone with information related to the collision is asked to contact CHPD’s Traffic Unit at (916) 727-5500.
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September 21, 2015
Pedestrian fatality on Auburn Blvd marks 3rd killed this year

Police lights, stock photo. // Citrus Heights Sentinel

Updated Aug. 28, 8:21 a.m.–
Citrus Heights police closed down Auburn Boulevard near the Roseville border for about six hours Friday morning in order to investigate a fatal collision involving a pedestrian in the roadway.

Police said officers responded to a vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision on Auburn Boulevard near Twin Oaks Avenue around 11:05 p.m. Thursday, finding a man in the roadway “with injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle,” according to a news release. Metro Fire personnel arriving shortly after pronounced the man deceased at the scene.

Police have determined the pedestrian was not in marked crosswalk at the time of the crash and said a preliminary investigation revealed “the pedestrian was down in the roadway, for an unknown reason, prior to being struck by the vehicle.”

The driver of the vehicle involved is “cooperating with the investigation,” according to police, and neither alcohol or speed appear to have been a factor in the collision.

Thursday night’s fatality marks the third pedestrian killed on Citrus Heights streets this year, while police statistics show last year had no pedestrian or vehicle-related fatalities in the city. The first fatal collision occurred near Kanai Avenue on Auburn Boulevard around 2 a.m. on Valentines Day, and the second occurred earlier this month on Sunrise Boulevard at the intersection of Old Auburn Road.

[Related: Police close Auburn Blvd for 10hrs after Valentine’s Day crash]

Another pedestrian was struck and critically injured on Auburn Boulevard near Twin Oaks Avenue in January of this year, but police said he is believed to have recovered.

Anyone with information related to Thursday night’s collision is asked to contact the Citrus Heights Police Department at 916-727-5500.
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Related stories:
Pedestrian in critical condition after being hit by car on Auburn Blvd
Pedestrian killed in vehicle collision Sunday; PD closes lanes

August 28, 2015
Head-on collision behind Citrus Heights Raley’s ends in arrest

A head-on collision behind Raley’s Tuesday night sent one man to jail and several people to the hospital, according to Citrus Heights police.

Updated Aug. 19, 3:12 p.m.–
A head-on vehicle collision on a residential side street behind Raley’s Tuesday night sent several people to the hospital and one man to jail on felony DUI and reckless driving charges, according to a Citrus Heights police sergeant on scene.

Sgt. Eric Dias said witness reports indicate the truck was driving recklessly and at “heavy speeds” while traveling south on Zenith Drive around 8:15 p.m., with the vehicle crashing head-on into a Chrysler PT Cruiser after trying to pass another car in the opposite lane of traffic.

Both vehicles sustained significant damage and Dias said the two occupants of the PT Cruiser were transported to a local hospital with unknown — but likely non-life-threatening — injuries. He said the driver of the truck refused medical treatment, but was later sent to the hospital prior to being booked in jail. The 36-year-old driver faces charges of felony reckless driving and “felony DUI causing injury,” the sergeant said.

[Related: See additional photo from the accident scene]

Nearby resident Denee Cagle said she was out walking on Zenith Drive with her husband and 9-month-old daughter when she witnessed the collision after almost being hit by the truck. She said the Dodge Dakota pickup had begun speeding and swerving just prior to colliding head-on right in front of her. The truck flipped on its side, ending up in front of a home on Zenith Drive near Brimstone Drive after knocking down a mailbox and spraying debris in the driveway.

[Also on The Sentinel: Pedestrian killed in Sunrise Blvd vehicle collision Sunday]

Cagle said she could have been walking right where the truck landed, had she not stopped to talk with a neighbor. She said the neighborhood has a history of drivers speeding “up and down the street” and advised others to stay alert while walking, “because you never know what’s coming up behind you.”

Crews responding to the scene had the debris cleaned up and vehicles towed off by about 9:30 p.m.
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August 19, 2015
Pedestrian killed in vehicle collision Sunday; PD closes lanes

Citrus Heights police officers investigating on-scene after a pedestrian was fatally struck on Sunrise Boulevard, Sunday morning.

Updated Aug. 17, 6:14 p.m.–
Citrus Heights police closed down several lanes at a busy Sunrise Boulevard intersection Sunday morning after a 28-year-old pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle while attempting to cross the street.

Traffic Sgt. Dave Gutierrez said the fatal collision occurred around 5:13 a.m. at the intersection of Sunrise Boulevard and Old Auburn Road, with an investigation revealing the pedestrian was hit while crossing in a crosswalk — but during a “don’t walk” signal.

According to a police news release, officers responding to the scene attempted lifesaving efforts on the pedestrian, but the man was determined to have been killed upon impact by Metro Fire personnel on scene. The pedestrian was later identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s office as Joseph Downing, who was described by family members as “high-functioning autistic,” according to Sgt. Gutierrez.

An investigation following the incident resulted in several lanes on Sunrise Boulevard near the intersection of Old Auburn Road being closed down for at least six hours on Sunday. Sgt. Gutierrez said the extended road closure is standard for any fatality and was necessary for officers to investigate and “forensically map the entire intersection.”

The 58-year-old driver involved cooperated with the investigation, according to police, and it was determined the vehicle had been traveling on a green light when the collision occurred.

Although police said Citrus Heights saw no pedestrian fatalities last year, Sunday’s tragedy marks the second such fatality of 2015 within city limits. The incident earlier this year occurred around 2 a.m. on Valentine’s Day at the intersection of Auburn Boulevard and Kanai Avenue, with the 26-year-old woman involved passing away several days later from critical injuries.

[See story: Police close Auburn Blvd for 10hrs after Valentine’s Day crash]

“We take this as a critically important issue,” said Sgt. Gutierrez, reflecting on the pedestrian deaths this year. “But it’s important that pedestrians utilize the crosswalks [properly].”

Gutierrez said neither alcohol nor speed appear to be a factor in Sunday’s collision.
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August 17, 2015
Photos: Greenback and San Juan power pole collision

A team of six performers pose for a photo at Michelle Solorzano’s property in Citrus Heights. // M. Hazlip

A partially burned shopping cart could still be seen outside the former Flaming Mountain sushi buffet, several days after a fire at the site. // M. Hazlip

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April 17, 2015
Severed electrical pole closes traffic on Greenback Lane

A severed power pole lies in the street on San Juan Avenue near Greenback Lane, shutting down traffic, Friday.

Updated 5:17 p.m.–
With a severed power pole and dangling wires in the street, all directions of traffic at Greenback Lane and San Juan Avenue were shut down for several hours Friday morning, due to a collision involving several vehicles, an electrical pole and a big rig.

“I heard a snap,” said Bill Devey, a driver who witnessed the incident. “And then the pole came on top of my truck… and then there was an explosion.”

Devey said he believed a big rig pulled down a power pole and dragged it for several feet until realizing what happened.

“I thought we were gonna die,” said a woman whose car was visibly scarred from electrical damage and preferred not to give her full name. She said electrical wires were sparking across the ground, and was instructed to stay in the vehicle for safety.

Emergency personnel with the Citrus Heights Police Department and Sac Metro Fire responded to the scene, with CHPD Senior Dispatcher Stephen Rodwell later confirming a big rig had hit some wires and pulled down two utility poles.

Rodwell said only minor injuries were reported and does not believe anyone was sent to the hospital. He said lanes at the intersection were re-opened by 1 p.m., although SMUD repair crews were still blocking off several turn lanes at the intersection around 4:30 p.m.

SMUD’s online power outage map indicates an outage occurred at the intersection just after 9 a.m. Friday, with about 400 customers losing power.

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[Photos: additional images from the scene available by clicking here]

April 17, 2015
Police close Auburn Blvd for 10hrs after Valentine’s Day crash

Citrus Heights police officers document the scene of a vehicle vs. pedestrian crash which closed down southbound Auburn Blvd for 10 hours, Saturday.

Citrus Heights police said a 2 a.m. collision between a car and pedestrian sent a young woman to the hospital in critical condition Saturday morning and caused officers to close all southbound lanes of traffic on Auburn Boulevard for 10 hours while conducting an investigation.

[box]Update: The pedestrian, later identified as 26-year-old Areolle Starr, passed away on February 21 from critical injuries sustained in the collision.[/box]

Officer Anthony Boehle said police were dispatched to a report of a collision near Kanai Avenue just before 2 a.m. on Valentine’s Day, finding the vehicle and driver on scene, as well as the pedestrian who had been hit. He said the woman was immediately transported to the hospital for treatment and is currently listed in critical condition.

Boehle said the investigation is still ongoing, but speed does not appear to be a factor and the driver showed “no indication of impairment.” Referencing the nearby Rocky’s 7440 Club, Boehle said “it’s possible” alcohol played a role on the pedestrian’s part, as “the young lady was coming from the bar.”

“On any major collision, whether it be a major injury or fatal collision, we take all of the evidence,” said Boehle, referencing the extended road closure and pointing to skid marks from the crash. “We document the entire roadway so that we can draw a factual diagram of the way the roadway was represented at the time of the collision.”

[Related story from Jan. 19: Pedestrian in critical condition after being hit by car on Auburn Blvd]

Last month, another pedestrian was hit on Auburn Boulevard about a mile down the road near Twin Oaks Avenue, leading police to close down northbound lanes for about 5 hours to conduct an investigation.

Boehle called the pedestrian collisions “out of the ordinary,” commenting that the area is well-lit, with roadways well-marked — especially in light of recently completed ‘Phase 1’ improvements from the Auburn Boulevard Complete Streets Revitalization Project.

“In this particular area, Auburn Boulevard has recently undergone a community improvement or revitalization project that re-did all the lighting, all the interior lighting, all the street lighting,” said Boehle. “There’s really no explanation, certainly not from an engineering standpoint.”
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Southbound Auburn Boulevard lanes were re-opened around 12:15 p.m. Saturday, according to police.

Anyone who may have seen the Valentine’s Day collision is asked to contact the CHPD’s Traffic Unit at (916) 727-5500.

February 15, 2015
Pedestrian in critical condition after being hit by car on Auburn Blvd

A 22-year-old man was sent to the hospital in critical condition Saturday night, after Citrus Heights police said he was hit by a car at 40-miles-an-hour while attempting to cross Auburn Boulevard outside of a crosswalk.

[box][Related: a Valentine’s Day crash involving a pedestrian shut down Auburn Boulevard near Kanai Avenue for 10 hours. See story: “Police close Auburn Blvd for 10hrs after Valentine’s Day crash”][/box]

Officers closed down northbound lanes on Auburn Boulevard after a pedestrian was struck by a car, Saturday night.

Sergeant Mike Wells said the collision occurred around 7 p.m. Saturday, when a Toyota Matrix hit the man in the northbound lanes of Auburn Boulevard, near the intersection of Twin Oaks Avenue. The collision caused police to shut down both northbound lanes for about five hours, re-opening traffic just before 1 a.m. Sunday, according to an email advisory sent out by police dispatchers.

Wells said the pedestrian was able to cross southbound lanes successfully before being struck in the northbound lanes, resulting in “major injuries.” Significant damage on the Toyota’s driver-side bumper and fender area was noticeable at the accident scene.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, according to Wells, but neither speed nor alcohol appear to be a factor.

Wells said the Department “would like to remind all pedestrians to not cross the street outside of a marked crosswalk or controlled intersection.”

<<Related: Police had set up a DUI Checkpoint on Auburn Boulevard several hundred feet from the crash site, just one night before: “Weekend DUI Checkpoint nets 1 arrest, 6 tows”>>

Significant damage to the front driver-side was observed on a Toyota Matrix which collided with a pedestrian on Auburn Boulevard, Saturday night.

January 19, 2015