A 64-year-old Novato man was killed after a northbound vehicle flipped over the center divider of Highway 101 in San Rafael and into the southbound lanes, according to San Rafael Fire Chief Chris Gray.
The man was behind the wheel of a red 1991 Toyota 4Runner with a camper shell when he apparently lost control at 3:10 p.m. and the SUV flipped in the air for an unknown reason, the California Highway Patrol said. The vehicle went over the center divider just north of the downtown San Rafael exit and into busy southbound traffic, where the vehicle struck an oncoming Honda Pilot, authorities said.
A Sig alert was issued at 3:41 p.m. and traffic backed up in both directions, according to the CHP report.
The driver, along with the four people from Windsor in the other car were transported to Marin General Hospital, Gray said.
Two were considered "limited trauma" and the last two had minor to moderate injuries, Gray said.
The Honda driver, 46-year-old Waleed Abdel Mageed, of Windsor, suffered moderate injuries, as did an 11-year-old boy. A 30-year-old woman and a 6-year-old girl suffered minor injuries.
The Toyota 4Runner driver was declared dead at the hospital.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation, but driver intoxication does not appear to be a factor, CHP Sgt. Shirley Lawson said. The crash initially blocked two lanes of southbound 101.
Saturday night, three of the four southbound lanes were cordoned off as the CHP investigated the crash site. Southbound traffic was solid beyond Manuel T. Freitas Parkway in Terra Linda. All lanes were reopened at about 11:15 p.m.
"Please take extra care on the roadway with storm conditions and holiday traffic," Gray said. "We want you to arrive at your destination safely."
A total of 16 firefighters and paramedics, under the command of Battalion Chief Jim Lydon, responded to the crash site.
— Bay City News Service contributed to this report.
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