Good Samaritan Hit, Killed On I-80 By Suspected DUI Driver: CHP

SOLANO COUNTY, CA — A Solano County woman who stopped to help a crash victim early Sunday on Interstate Highway 80 in Dixon was fatally struck by a suspected drunken driver, the California Highway Patrol said.

At 2:38 a.m. Sunday, a black Mazda CX5 was speeding and rear-ended a silver Hyundai Elantra on westbound I-80, west of Dixon Avenue, CHP Officer David Harvey said.

The Mazda came to rest blocking lanes, and several witnesses stopped to help those involved in the crash, Harvey said.

Three minutes after the initial crash, a red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck drove into the crash scene and collided with a silver Toyota Prius driven by a 26-year-old Suisun City woman.

The Tacoma driver — later identified as 29-year-old Mason Wessel, of San Francisco— continued forward and struck the Mazda and its driver, a 31-year-old Vallejo man who was standing outside of the vehicle, Harvey said.

The Tacoma again continued forward and hit a 47-year-old Dixon woman who was among the good Samaritans who stopped to help the people involved in the first crash. As a result, the Dixon woman suffered fatal injuries, Harvey said. Her name was expected to be released by the Solano County coroner's office once her next of kin were properly notified.

"Alcohol is suspected to be a factor in this collision," Harvey said. "The driver of the Toyota [Wessel] Tacoma was arrested for felony DUI."

Wessel suffered major injuries in the collision and was taken to Kaiser Vacaville, Harvey said.

The Mazda and Prius drivers were taken to Kaiser in Vacaville for treatment of major and minor injuries, respectively.

The CHP asked anyone who witnessed the incident or has pertinent information to call Officer Padilla at the CHP Solano Area Office at 707-428-2100.