News

The California Highway Patrol is investigating a head-on crash that left two people dead north of Orick on U.S. Highway 101 yesterday morning.

According to a press release, CHP received a report of the crash between a semi-truck and a car north of Lostman Creek shortly before 8:30 a.m.

An initial investigation indicates a 2015 Audi Q5 driven by Sudipta Sarkar, of Irvine, was traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 101 when for unknown reasons it veered into the northbound lane, directly in the path of a Freightliner semi-truck. According to the release, the driver of the Freightliner tried to take evasive action but but could not get out of the Audi's path.

The Audi overturned in the crash, according to the release, trapping its driver and four passengers, one of whom died at the scene. Another passenger later died at a hospital, while Sarkar and another passenger were airlifted to Mercy Hospital in Redding with major injuries. A juvenile passenger was being treated at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka with moderate injuries.

CHP is withholding the names of those killed in the crash until their families can be notified of their deaths.

The driver of the Freightliner was uninjured in the crash, according to the release, which states drugs and alcohol were not believed to be a factor in the collision.

The crash remains under investigation and CHP asks anyone with additional information to contact it at (707) 822-5981. See the full press release here.