LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol on Monday issued a report on a five-car pileup on Highway 29 last week that claimed the life of a local man.
Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office identified the man who died as Anthony Christopher Wolfsmith, 32, of Clearlake.
The CHP Clear Lake Area office’s Monday report on the crash said it occurred at 5:20 p.m. Thursday on Highway 29 near Lower Lake.
Wolfsmith was driving a silver 2007 Honda Ridgeline pickup northbound on Highway 29, south of C Street, at 55 miles per hour, the CHP said.
The CHP said Lloyd Hoisington, 48, of Marysville was following behind Wolfsmith in his 2007 Chevrolet. Freddy Gonzalez, 37, of Santa Rosa was ahead of Wolfsmith in his 2006 Lexus and Keneth Feola, 49, was ahead of Gonzalez in his 2005 Subaru.
Nicholas Hough, 31 of Hidden Valley Lake, was driving a silver 2016 Dodge Ram pickup southbound at 55 miles per hour, approaching Wolfsmith’s location from the opposite direction, the CHP said.
Feola came to a stop in the northbound lane, due to stopped traffic ahead, and Gonzalez was slowing to a stop behind him, the CHP said.
As Wolfsmith was approaching the stopped traffic, the CHP said he swerved to the left, into the path of Hough, resulting in a head-on collision.
After the initial collision, Wolfsmith’s Honda was pushed to the right, near the center double yellow lines, at which point Hoisington, who was behind Wolfsmith, collided with Wolfsmith’s Honda. The CHP said this impact pushed the Honda into the rear of Gonzalez, which pushed Gonzalez into the rear of Feola.
After the collision, all involved parties remained on scene for emergency personnel, the CHP said.
The CHP said Wolfsmith was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Hough and Hoisington both suffered minor injuries and were treated at Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital, while Gonzalez and Feola were uninjured, the CHP said.
The report said all five drivers were wearing their seat belts.
Neither drugs nor alcohol are suspected to be factors at this time, the CHP said.
The CHP said the cause of the collision is under investigation.
CHP issues report on fatal Thursday Lower Lake wreck
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