By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – The number of Thanksgiving holiday weekend accidents in the Gilroy area rose this year. The California Highway Patrol reported no fatalities on freeways in this area on the busiest travel weekend of the year, but fatalities and crashes were up in the Bay Area and statewide.
There were 37 accidents in the South County and Hollister area over the four-day weekend, compared with 28 accidents the same time last year. Injuries were reported in 21 of the accidents, up from 8 in 2003, said CHP officer Matt Ramirez.
An increase in the number of holiday travelers may have contributed to the increase in accidents. More people were expected to travel by airplane and car this weekend than any Thanksgiving weekend since Sept. 11, 2001, according to AAA.
Preparing for the busier travel, the CHP also focused on stopping drunk drivers. Officers arrested 17 people suspected of driving under the influence, two of whom were involved in injury accidents, Ramirez said. Last year, 18 people were arrested for drunk driving, and three were involved in collisions.
Two people were flown to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose for treatment after a one-car accident Sunday afternoon. Alfredo Gonzalez, 21, of San Jose, and Nicola Matz, 18, of Santa Clara, were injured when the convertible Mustang driven by Gonzalez spun out of control, became airborne and rolled several times. Both Gonzalez and his passenger were wearing seat belts.
The accident occurred shortly after 2pm when the Mustang was traveling south on U.S. Highway 101, north of Cochrane Road. Gonzalez, driving at an estimated 100 mph in heavy traffic, passed several vehicles before swerving right into the exit lane for Cochrane Road, then swerved left back across the lanes and lost control, police said.
Witnesses stopped to help the driver and passenger before rescue personnel arrived. Gonzalez’s kidney and spleen were ruptured, and his lungs were bruised. He was listed in critical condition Monday. Matz, who has been released from the hospital, suffered a broken shoulder blade.
The CHP is investigating.
Two people involved in a single-vehicle accident Friday afternoon also were airlifted to San Jose hospitals, and another taken by ambulance, after their 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled over on 101.
Todd Hirokana, 39, of Sunnyvale, was driving the Jeep between 65 and 70 mph northbound on 101, south of Highway 25 shortly after 2pm. His vehicle drifted off the left side of the freeway and into the center divider. Hirokana tried to correct his Jeep by steering to the right and braking, but the vehicle rolled over, and came to rest on its roof.
Brian Ebisul, 39, of San Jose, and a passenger riding in the back of the Jeep, were trapped inside. Ebisul was airlifted to San Jose Medical Center with lacerations to his head and hands.
Hirokana was airlifted with cuts and scrapes to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
A second passenger, Teresa Wong, 40, of San Jose, was taken by ambulance to San Jose Medical Center with complaints of pain to her head and neck.
The CHP is investigating.
Several people suffered minor injuries in two separate rear-end collisions on U.S. 101 Friday, both north of Leavesley Road. Seat belts and airbags saved the passengers from serious injury, according to the CHP.
After one accident just before 11am on the northbound side of the freeway, Lin Yang, 40, of San Jose, was transported by ambulance to Saint Louise Regional Hospital with a broken left arm. Liquin Dong, 37, of Sunnyvale, was driving a 1996 Toyota Camry in which Yang was riding, when he crashed into the back of a 1985 Chevy S-10 that was stopped in traffic. The force of the collision forced the Chevy into the back of a car in front of it, which later fled the scene.
In a second rear-end collision at 2pm, also on the northbound side, Ben Rad, 67, of Fresno, complained of neck and back pain after crashing his 2000 Toyota Tacoma into the back of a 1995 Nissan. Traffic had been moving at 15 mph when it came to a halt, and Rad was unable to stop in time.
One adult suffered chest pain after a one-car accident at 12:30pm Thursday, when a tire on a 1998 Nissan Altima carrying two adults and four minor passengers blew out, causing the Nissan to skid off the road and roll over.
The CHP was out in force from Thursday through midnight Sunday, with every officer available out on the highways.
“We basically had as many officers as we could out there,” Ramirez said. “Just keeping a good presence to let people know we’re there, and I think it worked.”
He said it is “very fortunate” that there were no fatalities here over the busy weekend.
In the Bay Area and across California, it was a different story. Seven people died in accidents in the Bay Area, up from just two deaths last year.
Statewide, there were 48 fatalities, compared with 31 last year.
Lori Stuenkel covers crime and public safety for the Gilroy Dispatch. Reach her at 847-7158 or ls*******@gi************.com.
