Authorities say that two separate highway accidents occurred near Candlestick Park Monday. Officials believe the second traffic accident occurred in the stop and go traffic jam that followed in the aftermath of the first crash.
Three cars reportedly slammed into one another around 3:00 p.m. on Highway 101 Monday afternoon. All three vehicles ran off the highway and crashed onto the rocks near the water after the initial multi-vehicle car accident. Authorities characterize the initial Highway 101 crash as a major injury accident. At least one person was taken to San Francisco General Hospital after the crash.
The U.S. Coast Guard reportedly deployed helicopters to the car accident scene to investigate whether any of the vehicles made it into the water and to check for potential environmental issues. Tow trucks were dispatched to pull the vehicles from the rocks and back onto the pavement.
Stop and go traffic clogged the highway after the initial crash. Authorities say that in that jam, four other vehicles were involved in a separate accident. The second crash occurred just to the south of the initial crash.
The second multi-vehicle crash included a motorcyclist who authorities say was forced to drop his bike. Authorities say the second incident involved minor injuries. The second crash occurred more than an hour after the initial collision. Authorities say the second crash occurred around 4:15 p.m.
Details regarding any of the injuries and concerning the number of accident victims injured in the two Highway 101 accidents remain sketchy.
Source: San Francisco Examiner, “Collision sends cars off Highway 101 near Candlestick Park,” Andrea Koskey, Jan. 23, 2012
