BASS LAKE – A two-vehicle crash on Road 274 reduced traffic to one lane this evening near the south end of Bass Lake.
Just before 10 p.m., a 19-year-old male was westbound in a 1995 Honda Civic, headed home after getting off work.
Two teens from Clovis were eastbound on their way to the mountains for a camping trip, and told CHP they missed their turnoff to Beasore Road. After realizing they needed to turn around, they pulled their 2001 Toyota Tacoma into a long turnout on the south side of the road, and made a u-turn.
Once they were back out onto the roadway and headed back west, the driver apparently realized he had pulled out in front of another vehicle when he saw a car coming up fast behind him.
In order to get out of the way of the Honda approaching from the rear, he moved across the double yellow lines into the westbound lane, he told CHP at the scene.
At the same moment, the driver of the Honda apparently decided he would pass the pickup, and also moved across the double yellow lines into the westbound lane. The two vehicles collided, causing the Honda to spin out and come to rest partially off the south side of the roadway.
Fortunately, no one was hurt during the crash, but both vehicles suffered major damage.
Both lanes were blocked for a short time, and one-lane traffic control was put in place for about an hour as the scene was cleared.
The accident remains under investigation.
