A Petaluma teenager remained in critical condition Tuesday one day after a car accident on Highway 116 outside Cotati at the same spot of a fatal crash in October.
The 17-year-old girl, whom police have declined to identify, suffered life threatening injuries, Cotati Police Sgt. Steven Bourns said in a statement.
The two-vehicle crash, at 5:30 p.m. Monday, was at Highway 116 and Madrone Avenue, just east of the Cotati city limits.
The injured teen was riding in a Honda sedan attempting to turn left from the highway onto Madrone Avenue. The car, which was driven by Luz Mejia, 20, of Petaluma, turned into the path of a Chevrolet pickup driven by Mark Ackerman, 55, of Cotati, police said. Ackerman?s truck could not avoid the Honda and crashed into the car?s passenger side, police said.
It was a scenario similar to the Oct. 16 accident that killed Maria Juana Flores, 36, of Santa Rosa, who died when her car was rear-ended into a big rig as she waited to make the turn onto Madrone Avenue.
In the wake of that crash, city and county officials have called for safety improvements at the intersection.
Cotati Police Officer Jason Yarnell said Tuesday that the crash was still under investigation. Alcohol has been ruled out as a factor, Yarnell said.
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