Yesterday's traffic on Highway 37 went from routine to chaotic when a multi-vehicle crash near Noble Road triggered a mass-casualty response and brought a CHP helicopter into the mix, according to authorities. Fire crews, ambulances, and California Highway Patrol units rushed to the scene, where multiple patients were treated and taken to area hospitals. One person was airlifted to a trauma center while others were transported by ground ambulance.
What Officials Reported
According to CHP Golden Gate Division Air Operations, Schell-Vista Fire Protection District and Sonoma Valley Fire District requested CHP helicopter H-30 to respond to the collision on Highway 37 at Noble Road. The post states that the incident command declared a mass-casualty incident and that H-30 arrived to help move patients from the crash scene.
Where Patients Were Taken
The CHP reel notes that CHP H-30 is on the pad at John Muir, and shows one patient being flown to a nearby trauma center. John Muir Health operates the Walnut Creek Medical Center, Contra Costa County's designated Level II trauma center, which is equipped to receive helicopter transfers.
Local Response and Context
Schell-Vista and Sonoma Valley fire crews handled on-scene medical care and requested air support, a familiar playbook for larger or more complex incidents. Both departments regularly coordinate with neighboring agencies and CHP units. Background on the districts is available from the Schell-Vista Fire Protection District and the Sonoma Valley Fire District.
CHP helicopters like H-30 are frequently dispatched across the Golden Gate Division for rescues and medevacs, a role highlighted in prior coverage by CBS San Francisco.
What Remains Unclear
Authorities have not yet released a full incident log with patient counts, injury details, or any indication of what caused the crash. Drivers in the area may still encounter lingering congestion tied to the collision and cleanup. Motorists can check current conditions on Caltrans QuickMap or through the California Highway Patrol traffic page.
Crews worked to clear the highway, manage traffic, and coordinate hospital transports while investigators started the slow work of figuring out how the multi-vehicle crash unfolded. Anyone with dashcam footage or information related to the collision is asked to contact local law enforcement to assist the ongoing investigation.
