3 Brothers Suffer Major Injuries After Solo Car Crash

NOVATO, CA — Three brothers, ranging in age from 5 to 16 years old, suffered major injuries late Sunday after the driver overturned the car and crashed into a power pole on the 101 highway.

The crash, which happened around 9:34 p.m. north of Atherton, caused the driver to be trapped inside the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox, according to the California Highway Patrol.

First responders had to contend with live power lines, which had fallen after the car hit and dislodged the pole. After ensuring the lines were safe, fire personnel pulled the driver from the car and immediately transported him to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital on board a Reach Air Ambulance.

The other two passengers in the vehicle were transported to a local Marin hospital via ground ambulance.

A preliminary investigation shows the 16-year-old driver from Buelton was driving, when he allowed the car to travel off the right side of the roadway and onto the dirt/grass shoulder. The driver’s panicked attempts to stop the vehicle and steer back onto the roadway caused the car to overturn onto its side.

The car continued sliding until it collided with a wood power pole, causing major intrusion into the car’s roof, just above the front seats. The force of the collision shattered the base of the pole, and it traveled approximately 30 feet before coming to rest, now supported only by the attached power lines.

After the crash, the two passengers, age 13 and 5, removed themselves from the car to a safer location.

The brothers had been part of a three-car caravan of family members traveling to the Santa Rosa area when the crash occurred. The other two cars stopped, and family members, including the mother of the occupants, began rendering aid to the victims.

All three occupants sustained moderate to major injuries but are expected to survive.

Authorities believe fatigue and drowsy driving may have been a contributing factor. The driver is currently in the provisional restriction stage of licensing, meaning it is illegal for him to transport any passengers under 20 years of age without a parent or legal guardian in the vehicle with him, officials said.

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