Coroner IDs Man Killed In Thursday's Head-On Crash Near Petaluma

The Sonoma County coroner’s office has identified 83-year-old Vernon Hamilton of Granite Bay as the Lexus driver who was killed in a head-on crash near Petaluma Thursday.

The California Highway Patrol said Hamilton was driving north on Lakeview Highway just south of Browns Lane when he drifted into the southbound lane and slammed into a BMW around 11:45 a.m.

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Hamilton died at the scene, and the BMW driver, a 53-year-old Sea Ranch man, suffered major injuries and was extricated from his vehicle, the CHP said.

A 56-year-old woman who was in the Lexus suffered moderate injuries.

She and the BMW driver went to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and are expected to survive, CHP officials said. The cause of the collision is under investigation.

The crash closed the roadway until 2 p.m.

The CHP is looking for witnesses who left the crash scene before they could speak to the CHP. Anyone who saw the collision is asked to call the CHP at (707) 588-1400.

Image via Shutterstock.