COARSEGOLD – A three-vehicle crash on Highway 41 snarled traffic for a little over an hour this morning in the Coarsegold area.
Just before 10 a.m., first responders were called out to reports of a multi-vehicle accident at the intersection at Lucky Lane.
According to CHP at the scene, a Sierra Tel service truck, a Nissan Pathfinder and a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup were all southbound on Highway 41 approaching the traffic signal at Lucky Lane.
The Sierra Tel truck slowed to stop, as did the Nissan. However, the 79-year-old driver of the Dodge Ram, a Coarsegold resident, told CHP he looked up at the sign on the east side of the road to check gas prices and failed to see traffic stopping ahead of him.
The Dodge slammed into the rear of the Nissan at an estimated speed of 20-25 mph, shoving it into the back of the Sierra Tel van. All three vehicles came to rest blocking the southbound lane.
The driver of the Dodge was not injured, however the female passenger in the Nissan was transported to a Valley hospital with what were described as minor injuries.
There was an infant in the Nissan, properly restrained in the rear seat, says CHP. That child was taken to Valley Children’s Hospital as a precautionary measure; the male driver was not injured. All occupants of the Nissan are from Oakhurst.
There were no injuries reported to the driver of the Sierra Tel vehicle.
The crash scene was cleared just after 11 a.m., and the accident remains under investigation.
