Good Samaritans rushed to help those involved in a wrong-way crash Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 5. One woman died and two others were injured in the collision near Walnut Grove Road. According to the California Highway Patrol, a call came in at 4:40 p.m. reporting a driver traveling the wrong way on the highway. Shortly afterward, a spokesperson said, calls about the accident also began to come in. “I was with them trying to help them,” Enrique Lara said. “I brought a blanket, which is over there because they were asking for a blanket. » A few minutes after the accident, a person ran to the scene with a fire extinguisher; Others carried blankets to comfort those in the vehicles. People could also be seen helping firefighters with a garden hose. “I think it’s about neighbor believing in neighbor,” said Lawrence Richards, battalion chief for the Woodbridge Fire District. “People are very diligent and want to help. People are inherently good. » Officials said a doctor, a nurse and an off-duty firefighter were among the good Samaritans. “I was coming north on I-5 and I saw a plume of smoke,” said Colton Tulley, a Fresno firefighter. “I saw people trying to use fire extinguishers, so I stopped and came to see if there was anyone in the vehicle.” He said he quickly realized someone was inside the vehicle. “She was stuck in there,” he said. “We tried to get her out of the window. The door was blocked. »When firefighters arrived, Tulley helped them extract the driver from the badly damaged truck. According to the Highway Patrol, the driver of a Ford F-150 was heading north when she crossed the Central Divide into southbound traffic. The driver of a Freightliner tractor-trailer saw it and moved out of the way, a spokesman said. She collided with his side, he said, before colliding head-on with another Ford F-150 pickup truck. The woman died at the scene and was identified Thursday as Praveena Nordfelt, 65, of Fresno. The driver of the tractor-trailer was transported to San Joaquin County General Hospital as a precaution. The driver of the other pickup truck suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries, the CHP said. “We will inspect the vehicle for mechanical faults. We’re going to rule everything out before we figure out what exactly caused her to do this,” said Angel Arceo, Stockton CHP. The crash blocked interstate traffic for hours. All lanes were open as of 7:30 p.m., according to Caltrans. For more on California’s top news stories, click here | Download our app.
Good Samaritans rushed to help those involved in a wrong-way crash Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 5.
A woman died and two others were injured in the collision near Walnut Grove Road.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a call came in at 4:40 p.m. reporting a driver traveling the wrong way on the highway. Shortly afterward, a spokesperson said, calls about the accident also began to come in.
“I was with them trying to help them,” Enrique Lara said. “I brought a blanket, which is over there because they were asking for a blanket.”
A few minutes after the accident, a person ran to the scene with a fire extinguisher; Others carried blankets to comfort those in the vehicles. People could also be seen helping firefighters with a garden hose.
“I think it’s about neighbor believing in neighbor,” said Lawrence Richards, battalion chief for the Woodbridge Fire District. “People are very diligent and want to help. People are inherently good.
Authorities said a doctor, a nurse and an off-duty firefighter were among the good Samaritans.
“I was coming north on I-5 and I saw a plume of smoke,” said Colton Tulley, a Fresno firefighter. “I saw people trying to use fire extinguishers, so I stopped and came to see if there was anyone in the vehicle.”
He said he quickly realized someone was inside the vehicle.
“She was stuck in there,” he said. “We tried to get her out of the window. The door was blocked. »
When firefighters arrived, Tulley helped them extract the driver from the badly damaged truck.
According to the Highway Patrol, the driver of a Ford F-150 was heading north when she crossed the center line and headed south. The driver of a Freightliner tractor-trailer saw it and moved out of the way, a spokesman said. She collided sideways, he said, before colliding head-on with another Ford F-150 pickup truck.
The woman died at the scene and was identified Thursday as Praveena Nordfelt, 65, of Fresno.
The driver of the tractor-trailer was transported to San Joaquin County General Hospital as a precaution. The driver of the other pickup truck suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries, the CHP said.
“We will inspect the vehicle for mechanical faults. We’re going to rule everything out before we figure out what exactly caused her to take this action,” said Angel Arceo, Stockton CHP.
The crash halted interstate traffic for hours. All lanes were open as of 7:30 p.m., according to Caltrans.
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