Two Highway 101 crashes near Cotati cause injuries, traffic

Two crashes minutes apart Tuesday morning on southbound Highway 101 in Cotati injured two people, involved numerous vehicles and tied up traffic for miles during the morning commute, according to the CHP and fire officials.

In the first crash just before 8:30 a.m. near the Highway 116 interchange involved four vehicles, including a Caltrans truck. Two ambulances were called, and one person was taken to a hospital with what appeared to be minor injuries.

A Caltrans worker was headed south when he slowed for stopped traffic and was hit from behind, shoving his pickup into another vehicle, which then hit a fourth, said Bob Haus, a Caltrans spokesman.

The second crash, about 15 minutes later, involved up to seven vehicles and happened just north of the Highway 116 interchange.

Traffic had backed up from the first crash, and the second round of collisions appeared to be a chain reaction with drivers rear ending other vehicles. The damaged cars and emergency response temporarily blocked three of the four lanes, Rancho Adobe Fire Capt. Tim Caldwell said.

A woman in an SUV was injured with minor or moderate injuries and taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

-Randi Rossmann