Driver who died in crash west of Petaluma identified

The man who died in a car crash west of Petaluma Wednesday was identified Thursday by the Sonoma County Coroner’s Office.

Danny Reno, 69, of Gualala died at the scene of the afternoon Toyota Prius crash, on Bodega Avenue east of Middle Two Rock Road, a few miles west of the Petaluma city limits.

A passenger, Linda Reno, 68, suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. It was not immediately clear Wednesday how the two were related.

Danny Reno was driving east on Bodega Avenue when the car veered off the roadway onto the right-hand shoulder, according to CHP investigators. The car rolled onto its left side as it re-entered the roadway, coming to a stop in the eastbound lane.

Both of the car’s occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, the CHP said. Authorities are looking into the possibility that Danny Reno experienced a medical emergency sometime during the incident. That won’t be clear until a coroner’s review and the agency’s investigation is complete, said CHP spokesman Officer David deRutte.

“That’s what we were curious of,” deRutte said.“The car rolled on its side but it’s not necessarily the impact or damage that would cause a fatal injury.”

Authorities don’t suspect drugs are alcohol were a factor in the crash, deRutte said. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact CHP at 707-588-1400.

You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com.