Santa Rosa woman killed in chain-reaction crash near Rio Vista

A Santa Rosa woman died Saturday after a big rig struck her vehicle while she and her group waited at a red light east of Fairfield on the border of Solano and Sacramento counties, authorities confirmed Tuesday.

Linda Martinez-Harper, 72, was pronounced dead at 9:49 a.m. Saturday at NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield, according to the Solano County Coroner’s Office.

She was a passenger in a Kia Sorento occupied by three other Santa Rosa residents: A 74-year-old woman who suffered major injuries and two men, ages 67 and 81, who had minor injuries.

Their names weren’t released and the 74-year-old’s status wasn’t available Tuesday afternoon. Victims were taken to three area hospitals and it wasn’t clear where each was treated.

The six-vehicle collision occurred about 8:20 a.m. Saturday along eastbound Highway 12, west of Highway 160.

The intersection is about 75 miles east of Santa Rosa and just outside the city of Rio Vista along the Sacramento River.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the Kia was at the back of a line of five vehicles stopped for a red light on Highway 12.

A 45-year-old Miami man approached at about 45 mph in a 2021 Kenworth big rig with a 54-foot trailer.

He did not see the red light and crashed into the Kia after applying his brakes at the last minute, CHP Officer Sean Kent said.

“He didn’t stop in time so he’s at fault,” Kent said.

The impact caused a chain reaction involving the remaining four vehicles that were ahead of the Kia in this order: A 2004 Lexus ES 330, a 2017 Honda CRV, a 2021 Ford F150 and a 2022 Mini Cooper, which was at the front of the line.

Drivers of the Lexus and Ford, which overturned, suffered minor injuries. There were no injuries to the drivers of the Honda or Mini Cooper, Kent said.

Drugs or alcohol didn’t appear to be factors in the crash, but a witness reported that the big rig driver may have been looking at his phone just before the collision.

“Distracted driving may have been involved, but it’s alleged at this point,“ Kent said.

Footage from the Montezuma Fire Protection District shows the collision occurred in foggy conditions, but Kent said there was no information showing weather was a factor.

The big rig driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

His truck was impounded as evidence but he was released pending the outcome of the investigation, Kent said.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi