Vacaville man dead, woman injured in crash near Healdsburg

One driver was killed and another suffered major injuries after a near head-on crash just off the Alexander Valley Road bridge over the Russian River on Wednesday.|
RANDI ROSSMANN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Driving in the wrong lane on a Russian River bridge north of Healdsburg Wednesday morning, a Vacaville man died after causing a minor collision with an SUV before colliding with another vehicle, the CHP said.

A woman in the 9:55 a.m. head-on crash on Alexander Valley Road suffered serious injuries and was taken to a Santa Rosa hospital.

Why Robert Hughes, 41, was driving eastbound in the westbound lane wasn’t known, said CHP Officer Jon Sloat.

In the first collision, with a 2012 GMC Yukon driven by James Brothers of Indiana, Brothers swerved hard to avoid the oncoming Honda Accord and sideswiped the sedan.

Out of control, the sedan then smashed straight into a 2012 Kia driven by Marie Bolkan, 41, of Woodland. She had to be freed by firefighters from her damaged vehicle.

The crash blocked the roadway and CHP officers closed a stretch for the investigation and emergency response. The road was opened at about 12:40 p.m.

Brothers and a passenger in the Yukon weren’t injured. Bolkan was taken by ambulance to Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital with major but not life-threatening injuries.

Cal Fire, Geyserville, Healdsburg and Wilmar fire agencies responded.

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