MENLO PARK—Reports surfaced on Monday, December 12, of a collision on southbound Highway 101 that resulted in occupants inside a vehicle suffering injuries and a 70-foot tree falling.
San Francisco News spoke with Art Montiel, Public Information Officer (PIO) for the California Highway Patrol (CHP) office in Redwood City.
Montiel shared that the CHP received a call about the incident at about 3:18 a.m. The collision occurred near the westbound Willow Road off-ramp toward Menlo Park.
The driver was identified as Daniel Nichols, 31, who was driving a 2004 silver Dodge Grand Caravan. When Nichols took the Willow Road exit, he failed to negotiate the off ramp and turned right. He continued straight and struck a 70-foot tree, which fell over and blocked the Willow eastbound onramp to southbound 101. CHP officers then issued a Sig-alert and closed all lanes of the southbound transition so firefighters could clear the tree.
Nichols and his passenger, who has only been identified as a Pacific Islander male were admitted to Stanford Hospital for major injuries.
All freeway lanes re-opened at about 4:30 a.m., reports shared.
