Crash On Rohnert Park Expressway Closes Lanes

ROHNERT PARK, CA — A Rohnert Park man suffered major injuries Tuesday afternoon when his SUV crashed into a railroad crossing signal structure that spans Rohnert Park Expressway.

The 21-year-old driver was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition, Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety Deputy Chief Aaron Johnson said.

The driver's SUV struck and sheared off the base of two eight-inch diameter poles that support the metal structure, which then blocked Rohnert Park Expressway, Johnson said.

The crash, which happened at 2:58 p.m., closed the eastbound side of the road between State Farm and Country Club drives, Johnson said. One eastbound lane reopened but authorities expected one lane would remain closed overnight.

Public safety officials said they believe the driver of the SUV was speeding because of what witnesses told them and other evidence.

Witnesses said they did not see the SUV's brakelights come on before the crash. Public safety officials said the damage caused and the spread of the debris also supports the idea that the driver was speeding.

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District flagmen responded to the crash, Johnson said. Train service was delayed for about 30 minutes initially. About two hours after the crash, trains were back on schedule, SMART spokeswoman Jeanne Mariani-Belding said.

— Bay City News Service