The following information is from the California Highway Patrol, Contra Costa County:
This morning (12/13/22), at about 11:05am, CHP Contra Costa was advised of a wrong way driver traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of SR-4 near Railroad Avenue. The wrong way vehicle (Dodge Durango) continued westbound in the eastbound lanes and collided head on into a Honda Accord traveling in the eastbound lanes of SR-4.
Following the initial crash, the Honda was struck by a Toyota Highlander and was struck a third time by a three axle tanker truck that were also traveling eastbound. All involved vehicles sustained major damage and came to rest within the eastbound lanes.
Following the crash, the driver of the Dodge fled the scene on foot, but was apprehended by Pittsburg Police Department that came upon the scene shortly after.
The Honda was occupied by one adult driver and one adult passenger. The driver sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene and the passenger was transported to the hospital for major injuries. The Toyota was occupied by one adult driver and one infant passenger. Both occupants were transported to the hospital for complaint of pain injuries. The tanker truck was occupied by an adult driver who was uninjured.
At this time, it is believed drugs and/or alcohol impairment may have been a factor in this crash. This incident is still under investigation. If anyone witnessed this crash, the wrong way vehicle prior to the crash, or the events leading up to the crash, please contact CHP Contra Costa in Martinez at (925) 646-4980. Thank you.
Wasn’t there a wrong way driver on highway 4 near Pittsburg a month or so ago going east bound in the west bound lanes? That stretch between Pittsburg and Antioch is a death trap.
@REALLY???
If you check the CHP log there are wrong way drivers everyday. This is a sad situation that happened today.
Because Anything goes out there in the Non-Enforced Wild West!!!.
This is what you get when Nobody is held accountable for THEIR actions.
I avoid that section of Highway 4 at all costs. As someone else pointed out, it’s a death trap.
..names? pictures? .city where perp was from? …. no need huh?
Alleged perp.
Seatbelts?
If they are fleeing, they are likely speeding.
But let’s assume both vehicles are doing the speed limit of 65mph. That means the crash happened at 130mph … seatbelts are not going to help. There are many studies that show that if you have an accident at greater than 120mph into an immoveable object/oncoming vehicle you are likely to not survive.
Is there a common thread of roadway/intersection design issue that easily enables or confuses these “wrong way drivers” to enter an exit ramp?
All Hwy 4 exit ramps and nearby intersections should be reviewed for damaged, illegible, or missing signs, pavement markings, roadway buttons, reflectors, etc…
Yes,if you look at the “Railroad Ave ” exit going west on Hwy 4,it’s not Railroad by any mean,it dumps you onto the frontage road the runs next to the freeway as a 2 way 1 lane each direction road,and youre still half a mile from Railroad ave,and if you’re traveling east on that road and approach this intersection where people exit hwy 4 east,you can easily if impaired or confused or cant see well at night,take a right onto this exit and think it’s an entrance if you dont see lights till its too late,youre at full speed and so is the car you’re about to hit head on.Swerve or freeze,if you even react at all.Look at that exit.It’s way wrong,and was the entrance for the head on crash 1 month ago on Hwy 4.
Put spikes at the freeway exit cal trans to lazy or what this should of been done long time ago specially from concord to Antioch is where all the scum bags do it at come on people wake up
Please tell us which off ramp the wrong way driver got on when he traveled into opposite traffic on Highway 4. This seems too common. Are freeway entrance and exit signs not clear? Do we need red, flashing warning signs to tell people they are going head-on into traffic?
It seems to me that someone would have to be out-of-their-mind intoxicated to not immediately 1) realize that they entered the highway in the wrong direction and 2) pull over to the side. This is horrifying. It feels like taking my own life in my hands every time I drive that god-forsaken highway
An innocent person is dead, and he/she runs. Hope they spend a long time in prison. Oh, this is CA, home of the non-incarcerated criminals. Also, their license should be permanently revoked. Not that it will stop them from driving again.