Head-on collision badly injures two suspected DUI drivers in west Sonoma County

Two drivers critically injured in a head-on collision Saturday in rural west Sonoma County both were arrested by CHP officers on suspicion of drunken driving.

The 4:08 a.m. crash occurred on Valley Ford Road, east of Gericke Road when a pickup driven by Steven Cline, 51, of Rio Vista drifted across double yellow lines into the path of 21-year-old Santa Rosa resident Emma Dominguez Quintero’s pickup, said CHP Officer Steve Fricke.

The impact crushed both front ends, trapping the drivers and blocking the wide, two-lane route, said Valley Ford Fire Chief Ron Caselli.

Caselli arrived at the dark and foggy scene first, 11 minutes after being dispatched. He was joined by two U.S. Coast Guard firefighters and an ambulance. The chief asked for more help for the double extrication job, and Marin County Fire, Gold Ridge firefighters and a second ambulance arrived.

“It was all hands to get that done,” Caselli said.

It took firefighters about an hour to cut off the doors, roof and dash of both trucks, working simultaneously in teams. The two were taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. While they were arrested on suspected DUI, both were released to the hospital because of their injuries, Fricke said.

Their conditions weren’t available from hospital officials Monday afternoon.

- Randi Rossmann