A routine afternoon drive on a rural Sonoma County road turned deadly yesterday when a woman was fatally run over by her own pickup truck near Sebastopol, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP officers were called around 4:45 PM to the intersection of Burnside Road and Sexton Road, in the unincorporated area outside Santa Rosa and Sebastopol, for a report of a vehicle-versus-pedestrian crash. Investigators say the woman had stepped out of her pickup when it began rolling backward down a hill. She was knocked to the ground and run over by the truck.
The woman was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where she later died from her injuries. Authorities have not yet released her name.
What Investigators Say
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that officers at the scene described the pickup rolling backward just as the driver stepped out of the vehicle. According to the paper, the CHP responded to the intersection and has kept the case open as an active investigation.
CHP Is Leading The Probe
The California Highway Patrol's Santa Rosa area office is handling the incident and has not released additional details about the circumstances of the crash. Officials say anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has information can reach the Santa Rosa CHP office using the contact information listed on the agency's website.
Rollaway Hazards And Safety Tips
Federal crash data show that rollaway vehicles remain a stubborn non-traffic danger. The agency NHTSA estimated that from 2016 through 2020, rollaway vehicles were involved in about 17 percent of nonoccupant deaths in non-traffic crashes.
Driving guides and safety experts generally urge drivers to layer their precautions when parking, especially on hills: set the parking brake firmly, leave an automatic transmission in Park, and turn the wheels toward the curb on slopes to help prevent a parked vehicle from rolling into people or traffic. Typical advice can be found in guides such as Parkmodo.
What Comes Next
The CHP says the crash scene remains under investigation and the woman's identity will be released after family notification. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Rosa CHP office. This report will be updated as authorities provide more details.
