Three vehicles crash on Highway 20, killing 2 and stopping traffic in Sutter County

Two people were killed in a multiple-vehicle crash Tuesday on Highway 20 and North Humphrey Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Yuba-Sutter CHP spokesman Joshua Oglesby said three vehicles collided on the highway in Sutter County a little after 2:30 p.m. A Kenworth big rig truck with two trailers, a Nissan Titan and a GMC 3500 were involved.

The big rig was driving westbound on Highway 20 while the Nissan and GMC were headed eastbound, Oglesby said. He said the driver of the Nissan “for an unknown reason” made a turning maneuver into the westbound lane directly into the path of the gravel truck.

Further evidence shows a different story. Oglesby clarified in a follow-up call with The Sacramento Bee that video footage from the big rig showed the driver of the GMC hitting the back of the Nissan. This caused the Nissan driver to lose control and veer into the westbound lane.

Oglesby said the front of the gravel truck hit the passenger side of the Nissan and spun it out of control. The impact caused the Titan’s cabin to detach from the cargo bed and the vehicle caught fire.

The GMC continued on to the shoulder where it hit the guardrail, according to a CHP news release.

The vehicles blocked both of the freeway’s lanes, he said. The Nissan’s driver and the passenger suffered fatal injuries.

Oglesby said both the drivers of the GMC and the big rig were taken to hospitals with undisclosed injuries. A CHP release later clarified that both drivers suffered no injuries.

Caltrans said in a social media post a little after 3:30 p.m. that Highway 20 is closed in the area. Sutter County Fire Department is on the scene.

Drugs and alcohol are not considered to be a contributing factor to this collision, CHP said.

The crash is still under investigation, and any witnesses are urged to call the Yuba-Sutter CHP office at 530-674-5141.

This story was originally published July 6, 2021 at 5:15 PM.