CHP: Mendocino County woman caused crash at highways 12 and 101

The CHP on Wednesday said a 70-year-old Mendocino County woman lost control of her car on a Highway 12 onramp, leading to a three-vehicle crash on Highway 101 that tied up traffic in Santa Rosa for more than an hour Tuesday.

CHP Sgt. Allan Capurro said Pauline Zamboni of Manchester was driving a Toyota Tundra at about 1:30 p.m. and was headed onto Highway 101 from Highway 12. Zamboni apparently was driving too fast on the tightly curved ramp, which was coated in mist from drizzle, and overcorrected to her right then snapped the truck back to the left, Capurro said. The truck crossed a dirt embankment into southbound Highway 101 lanes.

She smashed into an Infinity G20 sedan driven by Bart Stafford, 51, of Los Gatos, Capurro said.

Both Stafford and Zamboni were taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Zamboni was released from the hospital Tuesday, according to a hospital spokeswoman. Stafford, whose injuries included multiple broken bones, according to the CHP, remained at the hospital Wednesday. His condition wasn’t available Wednesday afternoon.

A third vehicle, driven by Alan Freeman, 63, of Sonoma, was clipped in the crash. Freeman also had been driving south on the highway.

Two lanes were blocked for about an hour and traffic was allowed to funnel by in the third lane.