Guerneville Man Dies In River Road Crash

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The California Highway Patrol identified a 71-year-old Guerneville man, William Guerne — a direct descendant of the Guerne family who founded Guerneville in the 1850s — as the victim in a fatal two-vehicle collision Tuesday evening on River Road near Slusser Road in unincorporated Sonoma County.

The crash happened at 6:47 p.m. as Guerne was driving his 2003 Dodge 2500 westbound on River Road, west of Slusser Road, when for unknown reasons — possibly a medical emergency — his Dodge veered to the left, crossed the double-yellow lines and sideswiped a passing 2009 Peterbilt dump truck being driven eastbound on River Road by 63-year-old Santa Rosa man Juan Salasrangel, the CHP said in a statement.

At the time of the collision, Guerne was traveling approximately 50 mph and Salasrangel was traveling 40-45 mph, according to CHP Officer Jonathan Sloat.

"The Dodge passed the Peterbilt and continued veering left across the eastbound lane," Sloat said. "The Dodge then crashed through a metal guardrail bordering the south shoulder, left the road, and came to rest when the front end collided with a tree approximately 20 feet off the road."

According to Sloat, Guerne was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Salasrangel was not injured, Sloat said.

River Road was shut down in both directions following the collision, which remained under investigation Wednesday.

Guerne was the son of George E. Guerne, after whom the town of Guerneville was named, according to Kimberly Lambert, executive director of the Russian River Chamber of Commerce. Lambert said George Guerne was a member of the company Heald & Guerne, which operated a sawmill on the site of the present town in 1865.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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