Esplanade Pileup Turns Deadlier as Chico Driver, 82, Dies After Crash That Killed Clearlake Oaks Woman

An 82-year-old Chico man blamed for a chain-reaction crash on the Esplanade that killed a Clearlake Oaks woman last Wednesday has died from his injuries, according to police. The midday collision left one person dead and several others hurt as investigators now work backward through the wreckage to piece together exactly how it all went so wrong.

The Chico Police Department confirmed the at-fault driver, identified as Thomas Sifton, died at Enloe Hospital after being hospitalized in the aftermath of the crash, Action News Now reported.

What happened

The collision unfolded last Wednesday around 1 p.m. at E. Lassen Avenue and the Esplanade, where investigators say a speeding vehicle blew through a red light and slammed into a car stopped at the intersection, triggering a multi-vehicle pileup. In all, six vehicles were involved, including a transit bus, and a Chico police sergeant who was already stopped at the light saw the impact, according to Lake County News.

Investigation and road closures

The Chico Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Team is handling the case, which has been logged as incident number 26-3995. Crews shut down the Esplanade between Henshaw Avenue and Mandalay Court for several hours while they documented the scene. Anyone with information is asked to contact the department's traffic unit at 530-897-4970, Action News Now reported.

Victim and community response

Authorities identified the woman who died as 63-year-old Tawny Christner of Clearlake Oaks. She was a passenger in the car that was hit and was pronounced dead at the scene, Lake County News reported. Her family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral expenses, and neighbors said she had been in Chico visiting her children and grandchildren when the crash occurred.

With Sifton now deceased, investigators say they remain focused on reconstructing the collision, collecting witness statements, and reviewing any available video as they move to close out the case. Officials are asking anyone who may have dash-cam or cell phone footage from around 1 p.m. last Wednesday at the Esplanade and E. Lassen intersection to contact the Chico Police traffic unit.