Caltrans Contract Workers Injured In I-80 Crash

SOLANO COUNTY, CA — A Sigalert was issued Tuesday for Interstate Highway 80 near Fairfield, where authorities said three Caltrans contract workers were injured when their vehicle was hit by a pickup truck near the Manuel Campos Parkway offramp. The two right lanes of westbound I-80 were blocked because of the incident, which was first reported at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Solano Area CHP Spokesman Dave Harvey said five Caltrans workers were cleaning the right shoulder with a Caltrans van/utility trailer combination parked on the shoulder just east of Manuel Campos Parkway. A white ford pickup truck driven by a 32-year-old Rio Vista man traveled onto the shoulder and struck the back of the Caltrans trailer, causing the van to roll over.

The van/utility trailer was being used by workers of a veterans group contracted by Caltrans to pick up litter and control brush on the side of the highway, Caltrans Spokesman Vince Jacala said.

Paramedics responded to the scene, where one person was reportedly lying injured on the right shoulder and another person was trapped inside a vehicle, according to CHP dispatch logs.

The injured workers — one suffered major injuries, two suffered minor injuries — were taken to NorthBay Hospital in Fairfield.

The truck driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to Kaiser Permanente Vacaville.

The incident prompted a Sigalert, which was issued at 11:43 a.m and was in effect until about 3:36 p.m.

The collision happened in the same area where a CHP officer and a Vallejo man were killed when a vehicle struck them on the right shoulder of the highway on Aug. 10.

Harvey said distracted driving is suspected in Tuesday's incident, but drug or alcohol impairment were not suspected.

CHP is asking anyone with pertinent information to contact CHP at its non-emergency line 800-TELL-CHP (800-835-5247) or the CHP Solano Area Office at 707-428-2100.

"Relate that you have information for CHP - Solano and Officer Aguilar who is handling this investigation," Harvey said. "Any information obtained in regards to this collision will be greatly appreciated."

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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