Deadly Teen Crash Spurs Road Safety Review In Marin County: Report

WOODACRE, CA — A crash that killed four teenagers and injured two others has ignited a call for better road safety in Marin County as 10 legal claims have been filed in relation to the tragedy, The Mercury News reported.

Many of the claims have been filed in the past week and the county has begun reviewing its road safety, though no speed limits have been lowered so far.

“The County is evaluating the claims and will respond through the Government Code claims procedure,” Marin County Counsel Brian Washington told the newspaper.

The incident unfolded in rural Marin County on April 18, when the 16-year-old driver of an SUV crashed into a redwood tree, causing it to burst into flames. Four teenage girls died while two survived with injuries.

The California Highway Patrol said the vehicle was traveling 20 to 25 mph over the speed limit when it lost control on a curve along San Geronimo Valley Drive.

The speed limit at that curve is 40 mph.

Some of the claims filed blame the county for the devastating crash, with some alleging negligence in the road design and maintenance, The Mercury News reported.

Since the crash, the Marin County Department of Public Works has gotten to work on a slew of roadway enhancements to improve safety along the road, Christopher Blunk, the director of the department, told The Mercury News.

A CHP report stated that there was no evidence the driver, who sustained severe burns, of a 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan veered off westbound San Geronimo Valley Road between Fairfax and Woodacre to avoid an oncoming vehicle, which was a scenario considered after a 14-year-old survivor of the crash told police they saw headlights just before the collision, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Lead investigator Darrel Horner attributed the crash to the driver's high speed, given the road's limited sight distance, narrow lanes, small shoulders and bordering forest. The driver's inexperience, having only had her license for five months, likely contributed to her inability to safely handle these conditions at speed, the investigator said. Intoxication was not suspected in the crash.

The 16-year-old driver was using a provisional license, which prohibited her from transporting passengers under the age of 20.

Olive Koren, 14, Sienna Katz, 15, Josalyn Osborn, 15, and Ada Kepley, 15, all students at Archie Williams High School in San Anselmo, were identified as those killed in the crash.

All six teenagers were students at Archie Williams High School in San Anselmo.

Read more from The Mercury News: Marin County reviews road safety after tragic crash that killed four teens