Petaluma girl still critical after vehicle crash

A Petaluma girl who was a passenger in her mother’s car during a Wednesday morning vehicle crash remained in critical but stable condition Thursday at Children’s Hospital Oakland, police said.

The 14-year-old, whose name police declined to release, was being driven by her mother, Janice Seale, when Seale turned left from Rainier Circle onto south Sonoma Mountain Road in front of a northbound pickup shortly before 6:45 a.m., police said.

The vehicles collided and the teen, who was in the back seat but was not wearing a seatbelt, was severely injured, suffering head and internal injuries, as well as a fractured vertebra, police said.

Seale, 59, and the truck driver, Petaluma resident Gael Pablo-Leon, 23, also suffered head and other injuries and were taken by ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, authorities said. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening.

The girl also was taken there before being flown to Oakland for additional care, police said.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash is asked to call investigating Officer Mario Giomi at 707-776-3722.

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 707-521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.