Coroner IDs Woman Killed In Hit-And-Run On US 101 Near Healdsburg

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The Sonoma County Sheriff's Coroner's office has identified a pedestrian who died last week in a hit-and-run crash on U.S. Highway 101 near Healdsburg as 45-year-old Chrisdee Jaensch, of Lakeport.

The Lake County woman was the passenger in a Chevrolet S-10 pickup that ran out of gas around 12:30 a.m. Thursday on southbound U.S. Highway 101, just south of Limerick Lane, the California Highway Patrol said. Jaensch waited with the truck on the right freeway shoulder as the male driver walked to get gas, CHP Officer David deRutte said.

The CHP's preliminary investigation revealed that when the Kelseyville man returned to the truck with gas, he found Jaensch lying in the roadway and called 911.

CHP believes Jaensch was struck by a Ram pickup truck.

"The suspect vehicle fled the scene after the crash," deRutte said. "The investigation is ongoing, but evidence indicates the suspect vehicle is a silver or similar colored 2019-2021 Ram truck."

The Ram has body damage to the right front and possibly on the right side, according to the CHP.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the CHP had yet to locate the Ram truck or its driver.

"We are still interested in any possible witnesses to come forward, no matter how small the information may be," deRutte said. "Please call the Santa Rosa CHP office at (707)588-1400."