DUI Suspected In Head-On Collision On Guerneville Road: CHP

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A Sebastopol woman who suffered major injuries Wednesday in a head-on collision on Guerneville Road west of Santa Rosa is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, the California Highway Patrol said.

A local tow-truck driver called police at 8:55 a.m. Wednesday to report that he'd just finished changing a tire on a 2009 Chevy Malibu when he saw the driver, later identified as Megan Worrall, 31, drinking an alcoholic beverage, CHP Officer Marcus Hawkins said.

"The tow driver attempted to stall the driver while he called Santa Rosa Police, but she fled," Hawkins said. "The collision was reported only minutes later."

The tow truck driver told Santa Rosa police that a possibly drunk driver in a Malibu was heading west on Guerneville Road, east of Willowside Road at a high rate of speed and erratically weaving through traffic, Hawkins said.

At the same time, a 37-year-old Forestville man in a 2002 Chevy Tahoe was driving eastbound on Guerneville, east of Willowside. As he reached Worrall's location she crossed over the double yellow line and entered the eastbound lane of Guerneville — directly in front of the Tahoe — Hawkins said.

The two cars collided head on within the eastbound lane of Guerneville, east of Willowside.

CHP officers arrived at the crash scene to find Worrall and the other driver both injured.

Worrall was taken by ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment of major injuries.

The Tahoe driver suffered moderate injuries and was taken to the same hospital.

"Worrall was placed under arrest for DUI and was released to the hospital for treatment of her injuries," Hawkins said. "The exact extent of injuries to either party are unconfirmed at this time, but are not believed to be life-threatening."

Hawkins said CHP received a BOLO —"Be on the lookout" — alert after the collision.

"It was an attentive CHP dispatcher that linked the BOL to the collision, probably based on location and vehicle description," he said.

Hawkins encouraged anyone with further information about the crash or events leading up to it to call the Santa Rosa Area CHP Office at 707-588-1400.