23-year-old ejected, killed in Placer crash crossed lanes to pass slowed vehicles, CHP says
A driver from Rocklin who was not wearing his seat belt was killed in a two-car rollover crash that happened Wednesday on a rural road near the Placer-Sacramento county border, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The CHP’s Auburn office said its officers responded just before 1 p.m. to a report of a collision near the 8800 block of Baseline Road, a few miles north of the county line.
At the scene, officers found a 2020 Volvo XC90 had been T-boned by a 2017 Nissan Rogue after the Volvo had slowed to turn left from eastbound Baseline near South Brewer Road into a private driveway. Several vehicles behind the 57-year-old driver had slowed for him as the Volvo waiting for cross-traffic to pass, the CHP said.
The Nissan SUV, driven by a 23-year-old man from Rocklin, was also approaching the stopped vehicles and “crossed over solid double yellow lines into the opposing traffic,” in an attempt to pass the stopped cars.
The Nissan driver was identified by Placer County authorities as Sergio Saul Martinez.
That’s when the Volvo made its turn, the CHP said, as the Rogue collided with the Volvo’s driver’s side. Officers said Martinez was “traveling at a high rate of speed” at the time of the crash.
Martinez, who was not belted, was ejected and killed when the Rogue ricocheted off the Volvo and overturned several times, the CHP said. The driver of the Volvo was not injured.
The CHP was still investigating the crash and trying to determine if alcohol or drugs also played a factor in the crash.
