Woman Identified in Deadly Highway 101 Crash

By Bay City News Service:

The Marin County coroner’s office has identified a woman who died in a vehicle crash Sunday afternoon on U.S. Highway 101 in San Rafael as 66-year-old Pamela Rones of Ukiah.

• Dramatic San Rafael Crash Leaves One Dead, Another Hospitalized

Rones was a passenger in a 1999 Toyota Corolla that was driven by her husband, who suffered major injuries in the crash, California Highway Patrol Officer Andrew Barclay said.

The Toyota was traveling in the fast lane of northbound Highway 101 around 2:20 p.m. when it veered to the right and collided with a 1999 Dodge pickup truck driven by a 51-year-old Novato woman, Barclay said.

The Toyota spun across all five lanes of the highway and struck a dirt embankment on the right side of the road. The force of hitting the embankment caused the Toyota to become airborne and begin to overturn, Barclay said.

The Toyota then traveled through a chain link fence and landed on top of a 2003 Cadillac Escalade driven by a 53-year-old San Rafael woman, on Redwood Highway Frontage Road, Barclay said. It then landed on its wheels and came to rest, blocking the intersection of Redwood Highway Frontage Road and Mitchell Boulevard.

Rones was pronounced dead at the scene and the Escalade driver suffered moderate injuries. Rones’ husband was taken to Marin General Hospital and his condition was upgraded Monday, Barclay said.

The collision closed all but the fast lane of northbound Highway 101 between Manuel Freitas Parkway and Lucas Valley Road for an hour, while Redwood Highway Frontage Road was closed until 5:40 p.m., according to Barclay.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but alcohol or drugs are not believed to be a factor, Barclay said.