Charles Patrick La Fortune dies in fatal Sonoma County car crash
Charles Patrick La Fortune dies in fatal Sonoma County car crash
Fatal Sonoma County crash claims the life of Charles Patrick La Fortune – Obituary.
The Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office has identified the man who lost his life in a tragic 12-vehicle collision on Highway 12 in Santa Rosa. Charles Patrick La Fortune, 78, of Sebastopol, died on Thursday, August 29, 2024, when his Toyota Tacoma was struck by a dump truck that later caught fire.
Authorities from the California Highway Patrol and the Santa Rosa Fire Department were dispatched to the scene at 11:52 a.m. The incident occurred in the westbound lanes of Highway 12 near Fulton Road. CHP investigations revealed that the dump truck failed to stop, slamming into traffic halted at the Fulton Road intersection.
According to CHP Officer David deRutte, La Fortune, who was driving alone in his pickup, was the first vehicle impacted by the dump truck. “After the collision, the Toyota caught fire,” deRutte stated. “The dump truck forced the Toyota into several other vehicles, severely damaging many of them. While eight people were taken to local hospitals with injuries, none were life-threatening.”
The cause of the dump truck’s failure to stop is still under investigation. Traffic between the crash site and Stony Point Road had to be diverted, with some vehicles turned around or escorted off the highway through an opening created by firefighters.
Fire crews remained on the scene for several hours, assisting with the investigation and managing the aftermath. Rob Dillion, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office, mentioned that the identification of La Fortune took longer due to the circumstances and the extent of his injuries.
This incident followed an earlier report where one person was confirmed dead and nine others injured in the massive crash on Highway 12.
Charles Patrick La Fortune dies in fatal Sonoma County car crash Fatal Sonoma County crash claims the life of Charles Patrick La Fortune – Obituary. The Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office has identified the man who lost his life in a tragic 12-vehicle collision on Highway 12 in Santa Rosa. Charles Patrick La Fortune, 78, of…
Charles Patrick La Fortune dies in fatal Sonoma County car crash Fatal Sonoma County crash claims the life of Charles Patrick La Fortune – Obituary. The Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office has identified the man who lost his life in a tragic 12-vehicle collision on Highway 12 in Santa Rosa. Charles Patrick La Fortune, 78, of…