DUI suspected in Hwy. 1 head-on crash near Valley Ford

A head-on collision on Highway 1 near Valley Ford on Sunday resulted in a Santa Rosa man being arrested on suspicion of DUI and a Marin County sheriff’s captain trapped inside his crushed sedan until fire crews could extract him.

The vehicles collided at about 2:15 p.m., blocking both lanes of the rural highway.

The accident was triggered when Juan Vanda, 21, driving a 1997 Astro van ran off the right side of Highway 1, overcorrected and collided with the 2012 sedan being driven by Rick Navarro, according to the CHP.

Navarro’s age and city of residence were not immediately available, but people with knowledge of the case said he is a captain in the Marin County Sheriff’s Department.

Vanda’s van flipped, but he was able to get out of the vehicle quickly. He was later airlifted to a local hospital because the extent of his injuries could not initially be established, said Matt Epstein, Valley Ford fire chief. The CHP lists his injuries as minor.

Navarro’s sedan, however, suffered significant damage that made getting him out safely challenging for firefighters, said Epstein.

It was a particularly difficult extrication because of the damage to the vehicle and way the vehicle came to rest,” he said.

Crews from Bodega Volunteer Fire and Marin County Fire took the lead on the extrication. They were able to get Navarro out of the vehicle and he was transported with major injuries to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

“They really deserve kudos,” Epstein said.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @srcitybeat.