For Ramona, which sees a number of traffic accidents on its rural, sometimes winding roads, this past week was a deadly one.
Four people died in three separate traffic accidents — one that occurred on Jan. 7 on state Route 78 and two on Sunday, Jan. 10 — on SR-78 and San Vicente Road.
“In the past we’ve had a spate of unfortunate accidents,” said Robin Joy Maxson, vice chair of the Ramona Community Planning Group, which has made traffic safety issues — particularly the widening of state Route 67 — among its top priorities.
“This is not the first time this has happened,” she said. “But what this always does is create immediate awareness from the community that we have to do something with these roads.”
In one of the incidents Sunday, a motorcyclist died and another suffered major injuries after they were thrown off their bikes in a multi-vehicle crash on SR-78. Both riders were traveling westbound about 5 p.m. when one of them veered to the right and off the two-lane highway near Slaughterhouse Road.
That rider’s 2020 Honda dual sport bike hit a rock, throwing him onto the road, California Highway Patrol Officer Travis Garrow said. The other motorcyclist veered across double yellow lines and into the path of an eastbound 2003 Ford Focus, which crashed into the bike, throwing that rider onto the road, Garrow said.
One motorcyclist suffered major injuries and was flown to a hospital. The other, Matthew Thomas Hutmacher, 51, died at the scene, Garrow said. The driver of the Ford Focus suffered minor injuries and was not taken to a hospital. The 71-year-old San Diego man had two engers, who were unhurt.
Also on Sunday, a driver and a enger were killed after their car went off a two-lane road, slammed into trees and burst into flames, authorities said. They were traveling east on San Vicente Road in a white Chevrolet Camaro about 5 p.m. when the driver veered across double yellow lines, the westbound lane and then off the north edge of the road, Garrow said.
The car then struck several trees along the road, caught fire and was engulfed in flames and destroyed. The driver and enger died at the scene. They had not been identified as of Tuesday, Jan. 12.
A Jan. 7 head-on collision killed a 28-year-old Vista man whose car drifted into oncoming traffic and badly injured the driver of the pickup he struck, authorities said. It happened a few minutes before 7 p.m. on SR-78 — also known as Julian Road in that area — near Magnolia Avenue, Garrow said.
Investigators said the Vista man was headed west in a 1998 Honda Civic when, for unknown reasons, his car crossed into the eastbound lane and struck a Ram pickup head on, Garrow said. The man, who died at the scene, has not been identified.
A medical helicopter crew flew the pickup’s driver, a 56-year-old woman, to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, officials said. She suffered unspecified major injuries, Garrow said.
On Tuesday, Garrow provided an update on the three accidents. As for the collision Jan. 10 on San Vicente Road, an “extremely high rate of speed” was a factor, he said. As for the other Jan. 10 crash, the CHP is “still trying to piece that together,” he said.
In the Jan. 7 collision, it appeared the Vista man drove over yellow lines at a high rate of speed and was driving on the wrong side of the road while trying to cars, he said.
“I don’t know the statistics on the high number of accidents occurring in an area within one week, but obviously we don’t want them to happen,” Garrow said.
Speed, driving while intoxicated, not wearing seatbelts and distracted driving are all major factors in collisions, he said.
“It’s especially important for drivers to stay alert and pay attention to their surroundings while driving,” he said. “We want everyone to be vigilant. Follow the speed limits and always be aware of what’s going on around you.”
Ramona residents who want to get updated information about traffic safety or to make a comment about the recent traffic accidents should attend the virtual Ramona Community Planning Group meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, Maxson said. San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Executive Director Hasan Ikhrata will make a presentation on the “5 Big Moves” concept for transportation in the 2021 Regional Plan, she said.
“This is an immediate opportunity for the community to speak directly to those who are planning our roadways and providing funding,” Maxson said. “Get the right people to hear what you have to say. It’s important.”
Access the meeting online at https://zoom.us/j/6969450019?pwd=VkM2d2FmeTlaSE54aWVQd0Roc2oxQT09 or by telephone at 669-900-6833 or 346-248-7799 with Meeting ID: 696 945 0019 and code: 9YPsyb. To request documents for each item or submit a speaker request, send an email to [email protected]
See Robin Joy Maxson’s Guest Commentary on the recent traffic accidents and road safety on Page 4.
Staff writer Julie Gallant contributed to this story
