Crime & Safety

Driver Killed In West Marin Crash ID'd As Santa Rosa Man

The driver was passing on a Highway 1 curve with double yellow lines, and appeared to panic when an oncoming car approached from the other direction, according to the CHP.

The Sonoma County coroner's office has identified the driver who died Tuesday in a crash near Marshall in Marin County as 23-year-old Florentino Chavez-Garcia of Santa Rosa.

The crash was reported at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday on state Highway 1, California Highway Patrol Officer Andrew Barclay said.

Chavez-Garcia's Honda and another vehicle were crossing double yellow lines as they passed other northbound traffic on Highway 1, Barclay said. Only the vehicle ahead of the Honda was able to get back into the northbound lane as it approached a curve, but Chavez-Garcia appeared to panic and lost control of the Honda, witnesses told the CHP.

The Honda spun out and flipped onto its roof, traveled off the road and down into Marshall Creek, Barclay said.

A passenger in the car, identified as Eber Magana of Santa Rosa, was able to escape with the help of good Samaritans from the vehicle, which was almost entirely submerged, Barclay said.

Chavez-Garcia was unable to get out of the car and was rescued by fire personnel when they arrived, Barclay said.

Both Chavez Garcia and Magana were taken to Petaluma Valley Hospital, where Chavez-Garcia was pronounced dead. Magana was treated for minor injuries and then released.

Barclay said Magana was sober and told the CHP he and Chavez-Garcia were not drinking alcohol.

The two men were heading to Santa Rosa when the Honda crashed, Barclay said. Chavez-Garcia's autopsy is scheduled for Friday.

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