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An SUV carrying eight people became airborne and broadsided a tree as it crashed down an embankment off Interstate 680 between Sunol and Pleasanton on Monday afternoon, killing three adults and injuring the other occupants including two babies, according to authorities.
The driver, who survived with minor injuries, told investigators that a tire blowout on the 2004 Honda Pilot precipitated the serious wreck that resulted in two unrestrained passengers dying at the scene and a third adult succumbing from her injuries at the hospital, according to Officer Tyler Hahn of the California Highway Patrol.
The identities of the decedents have not been released publicly, nor has the name of the driver, who was transported to a hospital with the infants. The CHP has taken custody of the Honda Pilot to examine whether the tire blew out as reported, according to Hahn.
“This crash is still under investigation. Based on statements from those involved and examination on scene, this is a dark reminder that seatbelts save lives,” Hahn told the Weekly.
The solo-vehicle crash occurred just after 2:30 p.m. on I-680 southbound just south of the Sunol Boulevard-Castlewood Drive interchange, according to Hahn.
The driver told officers he was traveling at approximately 65 mph when the Pilot suffered a blowout in the right rear tire, according to Hahn. The driver said he steered the SUV to the left out of initial concern about the embankment to the right of the freeway.
“Upon slightly veering to the left, his left-side tires rode partially up the jersey wall which bordered the east side of the lanes. After riding up the wall, the driver lost control, veering to the right and crossing all the lanes before traversing the right shoulder,” Hahn said.
The SUV then clipped the sloped curb edge of the right shoulder, causing it “to become airborne as it broadsided a tree along the right shoulder. The Honda impacted the tree in the driver side approximately six feet above ground level,” Hahn added. “The Honda Pilot came down, landing on the embankment and sliding down to its base.”
The out-of-control SUV came to rest about 20 feet below the freeway level, according to the Alameda County Fire Department.
Emergency personnel arrived to find two people dead at the scene — one adult who was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected out of the back window, and a second unrestrained adult who died in the right rear seat, according to Hahn
A woman who was seated in the back row with the two babies was seriously injured and taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where she was later pronounced dead, according to Hahn. It is unknown whether she was wearing a seatbelt.
Both infants sustained minor injuries and were transported to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland to get checked out, according to ACFD. Hahn said the investigation revealed one baby was in a car seat while the other was restrained with a seatbelt only.
The other surviving passenger who sustained major injuries was taken to the Regional Medical Center of San Jose with a broken pelvis. According to Hahn, she admitted to officers that she was not wearing a seatbelt.
A fifth adult passenger had minor injuries while the driver went with the infants to the Oakland hospital with minor injuries, according to Hahn. All were reported to be stable and in good condition as of Tuesday morning.
The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation. Alcohol or drugs do not appear to be a factor, according to Hahn. There was light rain at the time of the wreck.
Assistance from a medical helicopter was called off due to the rainy conditions on Monday afternoon, according to ACFD.
The right two lanes of I-680 southbound in the area were closed for hours during the evening commute as a result of the crash, emergency response and cleanup efforts. CHP officials issued a Sig-Alert for the closure just after 3 p.m., and all lanes were reopened at 6:35 p.m., according to Hahn.
Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information relevant to the case can contact CHP-Dublin investigators at 925-828-0466.
A tragic holiday story on many levels. I rode the other direction on 680 yesterday with a woman who complained of 3 punctured tires over the last 3 months’ commute, on that same stretch of road. She blamed potholes associated with construction. With that ongoing construction, I’ve read of many instances of debris on the roadway causing vehicle damage. Her remark followed by this event seems to inform CalTrans needs to up its game as the roadwork continues. This has now gone far beyond a necessary inconvenience and more than a CalTrans apology is called for.
Is there recorded information on the amount of crashes on 680 since the major construction from Sunol to San Ramon?
Thank you for the explanation of the traffic congestion on Foothill Rd. Pleasanton, Monday PM. My condolences to the families. A cautionary tale for all of us.
I was traveling southbound 680 just an hour before this accident and as I exited at the Bernal ramp, there was a pickup truck with a badly blown out right rear tire. Very scary!
There were about 10 cars on the roadside this morning. I did see multiple with flat tires. This was as of 30 minutes ago
Disruptive as it might be, maybe CalTrans/CHP needs to close that stretch of roadway until it can be made safe. Or at least issue a warning and use a traffic break maneuver to escort vehicles through the danger zone. The situation seems unsustainable and unacceptable at this point.
First off, I want to express my deepest condolences to the family affected by this tragic accident. I also want to address that the section of road where the accident occurred is notably hazardous. Today, my husband experienced a flat tire in the same location, and I’ve learned (from reading the above postings) that he was not the only one who this happened to today! The frequency of such incidents is concerning and unacceptable. It is alarming that the road remains open in its current state on the freeway. Immediate action should be taken to address this safety issue.
How’s that ‘freeway improvement project’ coming along? The highways are worse off than ever.
Reminder, how to report anything to CalTrans.
From the CalTrans > ContactUs page
https://csr.dot.ca.gov
Customer Service Requests Non-Emergency (staffed Monday-Friday, 8AM to 4PM). Report highway emergencies to 911 or the California Highway Patrol immediately.
I have done this myself in the past and received very quick response from CalTrans.