A driver was located under a Yolo Bypass bridge nearly 97 minutes after emergency calls about a crash rolled into the California Highway Patrol last Friday night. The person, who authorities say was in a BMW, was pulled from beneath the southbound I‑5 span just north of County Road 22 near Woodland and transported to a hospital with major injuries. The search kept first responders working well after the initial calls arrived.
Timeline and search
CHP began receiving calls about the crash at about 10:17 p.m., and the first unit arrived on scene at roughly 10:21 p.m.; despite that, the injured person was not found until 11:54 p.m. — approximately 97 minutes after the first reports — according to ABC10. The incident happened on the Yolo Bypass southbound I‑5 just north of County Road 22 near Woodland.
Vehicles, injuries and investigation
Authorities say the crash involved a Toyota and a BMW, and the person who was found had been in the BMW and was taken to a hospital for treatment of major injuries, as per the California Highway Patrol obtained by ABC10. CHP officials added that alcohol or drugs do not appear to have been factors and that the cause of the collision remains under investigation. Anyone with information was directed to contact the CHP Woodland-area office at 530-702-6250.
Road context near County Road 22
County Road 22 and the Yolo Bypass have seen periodic closures and detours — particularly during high river flows — which can complicate access for emergency crews, Hoodline reported earlier this year. That mix of elevated causeway sections and nearby levees can make searches under bridge spans more difficult when vehicles leave the roadway. Local agencies and CHP investigators are reviewing scene evidence to determine exactly how the collision occurred.
