[edited 1/31 to add names of victims after release of information by the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office]
A tragic multi-vehicle collision on US-395, north of Waldron Lane, early Thursday morning claimed the lives of three individuals and left a community in mourning. The initial crash occurred at approximately 5:40, when a southbound vehicle, driven by 46-year-old Susanville resident Kelly Ann Erwin, attempted to pass another vehicle without “sufficient clearance” for oncoming traffic.
According to the CHP report this resulted in a head-on collision between Erwin’s vehicle and a northbound vehicle driven by 67-year-old Janesville resident Raymond Edward White. According to the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office both drivers were killed in this initial collision.
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, a third vehicle, driven by 52-year-old Susanville resident Steven Ray Bresolin, pulled over to the west shoulder and the driver exited to render aid to the occupants of the first two vehicles.
Tragedy struck again as a northbound vehicle, driven by a 60-year-old Janesville woman, identified only as Party-3 by the CHP passed the scene. Her vehicle struck the man who had stopped to render aid, who was standing outside the crashed vehicles.
That driver stopped, called 911 and waited on the scene for emergency personnel.
Three drivers sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.
The California Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into this devastating incident and is urging anyone with information about the crash to contact the Susanville CHP office at 1.530.252.1800.
The CHP expressed its gratitude to the Lassen County Sheriff’s Department, CalFire, Susan River Fire, Susanville Fire, CDCR High Desert Fire, SEMSA, Caltrans, Lassen County Road Department, and Finks Mortuary for their assistance at the scene.