1 Dead, 1 Critically Injured In Sonoma County Crash

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — A Monte Rio man died and a woman suffered major injuries when their vehicles collided head on in heavy fog Wednesday morning in unincorporated Sonoma County. According to the California Highway Patrol, the collision was first reported around 5:32 a.m. just west of the intersection of Occidental and Piezzi roads, around two miles from the west city limits of Santa Rosa.

The Sonoma County sheriff-coroner's office identified the deceased as 34-year-old Monte Rio resident William Pacatte.

CHP Officer David deRutte said Pacatte was driving a black Chevrolet Silverado truck east on Occidental and passed a garbage truck in front of him, then collided with a westbound white Chevrolet Suburban driven by a female.

The passing attempt was over broken yellow lines, which is legal, but it occurred in an unsafe area, deRutte said.

A second impact occurred when the left side of the Recology garbage truck collided with the rear of the Silverado, deRutte said.

Pacatte and the woman driving the Suburban were both taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where Pacatte died from his injuries.

The woman, whose name was not released, remained in critical condition, deRutte said in a news release.

The garbage truck driver was not injured.

Occidental Road was closed for several hours at Piezzi Road, west of Riccas Corner. The roadway was blocked in both directions, according to the CHP.

DeRutte said anyone who may have witnessed the collision to call CHP's Santa Rosa area office at 707-588-1400.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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