Driver Dies As Pickup Truck Goes Down Driveway, Lands On Hwy 12

SANTA ROSA, CA — Santa Rosa police were investigating whether a medical emergency led to a fatal collision Tuesday that closed all lanes of State Highway 12.

At 6:08 p.m., Santa Rosa police were dispatched to SR-12 between Fairway Drive and Los Alamos Road, where an unresponsive man was down in the roadway near the center median.

"What appeared to be his associated vehicle, a white Dodge pickup, had come to rest on the opposite side of the roadway in the bushes next to the eastbound lanes of traffic," SRPD Sgt. Summer Gloeckner said.

Emergency personnel performed CPR and took the man to a local hospital; a short time later, he died from his injuries.

The Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner's Office has since identified the driver as Timothy McMillen, 65, of Santa Rosa.

All lanes of traffic on Highway 12 between Fairway Drive and Los Alamos Road were closed for several hours as the incident was investigated.

Officers interviewed several witnesses and determined no other cars were involved in the incident.

Police believe McMillen was working at a home at the top of a hill, west of Los Alamos Road, with a long driveway leading down to the highway.

Witnesses said the truck lost control, went down the driveway, crashed through a fence and went across both lanes of traffic on Highway 12.

"Unfortunately the driver was thrown from the vehicle and ended up on the center median," Gloeckner said.

The initial investigation did not indicate drugs or alcohol were factors in the collision.

"It appears the victim may have suffered a medical emergency, but the investigation is still on-going to determine exactly what happened," Gloeckner said.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is encouraged to contact Officer Jeff Adams at 707-543-3636.