This in from the Bishop CHP :
On 11/21/2019, at approximately 5:15 AM, a blue Volvo Semi truck/trailer was making a turn from the Shell Gas Station, located in Pearsonville, CA, and onto northbound US-395. At the same time, a gray Honda CRV was traveling northbound along US-395 at an unknown rate of speed. As the semi truck was half way onto US-395, the Honda CRV collided with the left side of the semi truck and trailer. The driver of the Honda CRV sustained major injuries and was flown to Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, CA. Two other passengers of the Honda CRV sustained fatal injuries at the collision scene. The driver of the semi truck was not injured in the collision. Both northbound lanes of US-395 were closed, but a detour route was made available. Personnel from the Inyo County Sheriff’s Department, Kern County Sheriff’s Department, Kern County Fire Department, Olancha Volunteer Fire Department, Inyo County Corroner’s Department, Caltrans, Sierra Life Flight, and the California Highway Patrol responded to the collision scene.
This collision is still under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. The identities of the deceased parties will be released through the Inyo County Corroner’s Office.
Sierra Wave Media reminds everyone to drive safely and be aware of distractions and their impacts on arriving safely to your destinations.
”Underride accidents occur when passenger vehicles slide underneath tractor-trailers in collisions. These dangerous crashes often compromise the passenger compartments of vehicles and result in hundreds of deaths every year. Despite the dangers, a solution exists: steel bars known as underride guards attached to the backs, fronts and sides of tractor-trailers… Read more »
I just learnt today, upon returning from overseas, for my friend W.S. to be one of the accident’s fatal victims. The many times I have travelled on 395 from LA, taking short stops, the lack of in ramps, merging back into the HWY presented a certain challenge. I keep discouraging… Read more »
It seems to me that if the oncoming vehicle was traveling at a safe and legal speed , they would have been able to avoid the collision. I reckon we’ll probably never know unless that car is equipped with a computer that’ll tell how fast they were going .
Time will tell what happened, either way it’s just tragic.
Although I don’t know any of the victims (I hope), seeing their skis laying there in the dirt hit home for me.
G. Lorent, sorry for your loss, our prayers are with you and their families.
Based on the article it seems the truck driver would be at fault for failing to yield to a oncoming vehicle.
Unless that oncoming vehicle was mis-judged by the truck driver because it was going well over the speed limit. The CHIPPIES constantly post copies of cites they write on Facebook of vehicles on 395 doing 100 plus . The computer in the car will tell the M.A.I.T. Investigators exactly how… Read more »
Speed kills…
While i know nothing about the facts of this incident, other than it is obviously tragic and sad, my best speculation on what occurred would be that the truck was pulling out from the Shell station and took both lanes in doing so. The car, travelling in the number 1… Read more »
I apologize for going off about my issues with the 395 in this sad report. It was a poor time for me to speak about a topic that really bothers me. But I do hope Caltrans does do something about our deadly highway. Caltrans knows people shouldn’t be traveling that… Read more »
The 395 is reputed to be the most deadly road in CA. I’ve ran it up and down maybe a hundred times over the last 20 years. Some years ago, heading West from Ridgecrest, there used to be an intersection with seven or eight white crosses with flowers somewhere around… Read more »
Highway 58 between Kramer junction and Barstow is worse.
These beautiful people were our friends. Trips to Mammoth will never be the same. We are heartbroken.
There is no merge lane there just a 90degree turn into a hwy. pretty unsafe. the car is so close to the cab the rig must have pulled out right in front of them … Half way my a**. No respect for right of way.
Almost Native I’m not sure how a real center divider would help in this case. They were both traveling northbound. It seems like speed and inattention, on the part of both drivers, is the likely cause.
There is a wide median at the Pearsonville Shell station. That would not have made a difference here because both vehicles were northbound. Maybe the grandkids will see 395 4-laned all the way.
I hate our highway all the way to the City of Mojave . I have personally known four people killed or crippled between Bishop and Mojave and am sick of hearing of more. Caltrans , every one of all these people would be here today if you would have put… Read more »