Santa Rosa Mazda driver intentionally causes multiple crashes, kills 1: CHP
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - A Santa Rosa driver is accused of causing multiple accidents Saturday afternoon, including one that killed a woman, the California Highway Patrol said.
The fatal crash occurred around 2:05 p.m. when a Mazda SUV and a Volkswagen SUV were involved in a road rage incident while driving southbound on Stony Point Road.
CHP said the Mazda, allegedly driven by 20-year-old Diego Diaz Hernandez, rammed the Volkswagen intentionally. The Volkswagen was pushed to the left into oncoming northbound traffic right into a Mercedes.
Inside the Volkswagen was a woman in the front passenger seat, an infant in the backseat, and a man driving. The woman died at the scene while the man and infant were taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries.
The occupants of the Mercedes were also taken to the hospital with major injuries.
Hernandez allegedly then sped off. Ten minutes later, CHP officers received a call about a crash on US-101 southbound, south of Pepper Road, where the Mazda repeatedly rammed another car, officials said.
Road rage incident leads to fatal crash in Santa Rosa
A woman is dead, and a man and child were injured after two other cars were involved in an earlier road rage incident in Santa Rosa Saturday afternoon.
When officers arrived, they found a disabled Mazda SUV. Hernandez tried to leave but CHP officers were able to arrest them, officials said.
During their investigation, CHP officers concluded the Mazda driver intentionally caused the crashes and another crash earlier on SR-12 at Stony Point Road shortly before 1 p.m. when they allegedly ran a Toyota Camry off the road, causing it to overturn.
No injuries were reported in that accident, CHP said.
The Cotati Police Department is also investigating two other crashes in which Hernandez may have been involved earlier Saturday.
CHP said they believe Hernandez was under the influence. He was booked into the Sonoma County Jail on murder, felony DUI, and assault with a deadly weapon charges.