Drivers killed in crashes near Occidental, Windsor

A pair of single-vehicle crashes killed two drivers Tuesday on Sonoma County roads.

A 38-year-old Sebastopol man died Tuesday morning after his pickup truck crashed into a utility pole near Occidental, CHP officials said.

Juan Alberto Belli Zuniga was behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Silverado pickup that ran off Occidental Road near Jonive Road about 8:20 a.m., Sonoma County coroner officials said.

The truck was traveling at a high rate of speed and hit a power pole, shearing it in half, CHP Officer Jon Sloat said.

Zuniga was pronounced dead at the scene.

A black Labrador retriever puppy in the truck was uninjured and turned over to a Sonoma County Animal Services officer.

The morning was damp and foggy and the roads were slick, Sloat said. Investigators suspect Zuniga had been driving too fast for the conditions. The vehicle tire treads were bald, which also may have hampered his ability to maneuver on wet roads, he said.

A driver traveling on Eastside Road west of Windsor died Tuesday night after crashing into a tree, according to emergency dispatch reports.

The 8:30 p.m. crash was near the intersection of Windsor River Road. The CHP and Windsor Fire Protection District responded. Additional details weren’t available late Tuesday.

Staff Writer Angela Hart contributed to this report.