UPDATE On Monday's River Road Double Fatality

The Sonoma County coroner’s office has identified one of two drivers who died in a head-on crash on River Road west of Santa Rosa on Monday afternoon as 58-year-old Jerry Thompson.

Thompson, a Windsor resident, was driving east near the Martinelli Winery and Vineyard at 3360 River Road west of Laughlin Road around 2:30 p.m. when his Ford Ranger pickup truck collided with a westbound 2001 Lexus, California Highway Patrol Officer Jon Sloat said.

[Previous: Double Traffic Fatality Reported This Afternoon On River Road.]

Witnesses said the Lexus was driving recklessly and passing over double yellow lines when the driver tried to pass a long line of vehicles ahead, Sloat said.

The Lexus pulled in front of the oncoming Ford Ranger and both drivers appeared to swerve toward the shoulder of the road to avoid each other but collided head-on, Sloat said. The Lexus landed on the right shoulder and caught fire.

The Ford was thrown into a driveway on the south shoulder, Sloat said. The Ford pickup sustained major front-end damage, pinning the driver inside, Sloat said. Both drivers were declared dead at the scene.

The identity of the Lexus driver was not immediately available this morning.

--Bay City News

Also on Patch:

• Student Writes: ‘Lamorinda Nudes Dropbox Must Come Down’
• Dear Parents: Books That Make Your Kids Smarter
• Tragedy on River Road: Two Drivers Dead After Head-On Crash
• Sonoma Co. Man Pleads No Contest To Secretly Photographing Female Coworkers In Restroom

• Are You Self-Employed? Check Out These IRS Tax Tips
• Do You Know What DMV Fees Are Tax Deductible?