Woman Killed on U.S.-101 in Suspected DUI Crash Near Sonoma-Marin County Line [UPDATED]

MARIN COUNTY, CA — A Santa Rosa woman died when her car was struck head-on by a suspected drunk driver who was also driving the wrong way on U.S. Highway 101 near the Sonoma/Marin county line early Friday morning, a California Highway Patrol officer said.

The crash was reported at 1:11 a.m., shortly after the CHP received reports of a car going the wrong way in the northbound lanes of Highway 101 near San Antonio Road, CHP Officer Andrew Barclay said.

Emergency personnel from the CHP, Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Novato Fire Department responded to to find three vehicles, all with major damage, blocking the two northbound lanes of US-101, according to Barclay.

CHP's investigation of the crash revealed that a gray 2006 Mercedes E350 was traveling southbound in northbound lanes when it collided head-on with a gray 2000 Honda Odyssey minivan. Both cars were blocking the highway with their lights off when the driver of a 2014 Dodge Ram delivery van couldn't see them and crashed as well.

The collision left the drivers of the Mercedes and the Odyssey trapped in their cars, suffering from major injuries. Firefighters used the jaws of life to extricate both patients from their vehicles, Barclay said.

Authorities closed all northbound lanes and traffic was diverted off to San Antonio Road.

All lanes of the southbound side were also briefly closed as a CHP helicopter landed in the lanes in order to airlift the driver of the Mercedes, 47-year-old Kristine Collier of Santa Rosa, to Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa.

The driver of the minivan, 63-year-old Sachiko Umehara, was transported to Marin General Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at 5:14 a.m., according to Darrell Harris, chief deputy of the Marin County Sheriff's Office Coroner Division.

The delivery van driver, 35-year-old Maynor Santos-Signor, was taken to Marin General as well with minor injuries.

According to Barclay, CHP officers went to Queen of the Valley Hospital to interview Collier.

"As officers were speaking with Collier, they observed objective symptoms of alcohol intoxication," Barclay said. "Officers conducted a DUI investigation and determined she had been driving while under the influence of alcohol. Collier was placed under arrest at the hospital."

The Marin Area CHP Office is still investigating the collision.

"At this time, specific charges [against Collier] are being discussed and investigated with the help of the Marin County District Attorney’s Office," Barclay said.

— Bay City News Service contributed to this report; Image via Shutterstock