Traffic on Hwy. 101 tied up after dump truck tips

A tipped dump truck tied up traffic through downtown Santa Rosa Tuesday afternoon as emergency crews from four agencies cleaned up about 20 gallons of diesel fuel and righted the truck.

Three lanes of southbound Highway 101 and downtown undercrossings were closed for up to two hours after the 12:15 p.m. crash.

Investigators believe the truck went over after attempting to brake for two cars that stopped suddenly on the freeway, said CHP Officer Steve Fricke.

"When it hit the two other cars, it tipped over," Fricke said.

The diesel fuel spilled from the truck at the collision site just south of College Avenue on Highway 101. Officers said the truck, registered to R&S Trucking of Fulton, was empty.

Crews were called to undercrossings at Fourth and Fifth streets to clean up fuel that had dripped down from the freeway.

Those roads were closed off and on during the three-hour cleanup, Santa Rosa police said.

The dump truck's driver, Siobhan Sullivan, 42, of Santa Rosa, tried to steer the truck away from the slowing cars ahead of her, but she hit two cars and her truck overturned, according to the CHP. Sullivan was not injured.

Maureen Gill, 55 of Camino in San Bernardino County, and Leonilla Rivera, 37 of Windsor, were driving the two cars hit by the truck. They were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, according to the CHP.

You can reach Staff Writer Laura Norton at 521-5220 or laura.norton@pressdemocrat.com.