A 55 year-old Santa Rosa man died Saturday afternoon in a flaming wreck on Hall Road caused by two other motorists involved in what the CHP described as a case of "road rage."
The man was trapped under a Triumph convertible that was struck head-on by an Acura driven by a woman who was pursuing a motorcyclist at a high rate of speed, CHP Officer Jon Sloat said.
The Triumph overturned and burst into flames along Hall Road about 100 feet west of Irwin Lane at about 4:45 p.m.
Hall Road remained closed between Irwin Lane and Piezzi Road at 9:30 p.m. as investigators continued their investigation.
The woman, who was not seriously injured, was detained for questioning, Sloat said.
At the scene following the incident, CHP Sgt. David Derczo said the crash was being investigated as a crime. Investigators were getting "conflicting stories" from witnesses and possible participants in the fatal collision, he said.
Drugs and alcohol are likely involved, he said.
Sloat said the Acura was westbound on a flat, straight stretch of Hall Road west of Santa Rosa, pursuing the motorcycle. The Acura rear-ended a Lexus at high speed, then veered into the eastbound lane and struck the Triumph, he said.
One bystander reported hearing "screeching tires" and another said that a motorcycle and a vehicle were racing along the two-lane road and hit a third car, which overturned.
Skid marks stretched about 100 feet along Hall Road, heading west from Irwin Lane.
Motorists often speed on the stretch of Hall Road which has a 50 mph limit, Sloat said.
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