UPDATE: 1 Dead, 2 Injured in Highway 12 Crash Near Fairfield

UPDATED BAY CITY NEWS SERVICE STORY 11:21 a.m. 2/23:

The California Highway Patrol has identified a driver who died in a four-car crash on state Highway 12 Wednesday afternoon as 66-year-old John Woolworth, of Napa.

Woolworth was driving a 2004 Dodge Ram west on Highway 12 east of the Solano-Napa County line when the crash happened at about 5:40 p.m., CHP
officials said.

For an unknown reason, Woolworth crossed over the double-yellow line and struck a 2000 Mercedes C230 head-on, according to the CHP.

Woolworth's Dodge then struck a 2008 Honda Civic, which spun out of control and hit a 2000 Ford Taurus.

Woolworth was pronounced dead at the scene.

A passenger in his Dodge, Gail Bueno, 76, of Napa, suffered major injuries and was taken to the John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, CHP officials said.

The driver of the Mercedes, Molly Fedorchak, 63, of Glen Ellen, also suffered major injuries and was taken to NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield.

The Honda's driver, Ronald Monafo Jr., 41, of Fairfield, suffered minor injuries and went to Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center.

Another Fairfield man who was driving the Ford Taurus was not injured.

The Mercedes, Honda and Ford were all traveling east at the time of the crash, and eastbound traffic was moving at 45 to 55 mph, CHP officials said. It is not known how fast Woolworth was driving.

CHP investigators are looking into the possibility that Woolworth suffered a medical problem before the crash. Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor in the accident.

The crash closed lanes in both directions. The westbound direction reopened at 6:52 p.m. and all lanes were open about an hour later.

Original Story By Bay City News Service

One person died in a crash Wednesday afternoon on eastbound state Highway 12 near Fairfield, according to a California Highway Patrol officer.

As many as four vehicles were involved in the crash reported at 5:44 p.m. just east of Red Top Road. A traffic alert was issued at 5:52 p.m., according to CHP Officer Ralph Caggiano.

Lanes in both directions were blocked for another hour until westbound lanes reopened at 6:52 p.m. By 7:55 p.m. all lanes were opened, Caggiano said.

One person suffered fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene, the CHP officer said.

Another person went to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek with major injuries and a third person involved in the crash went to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Vallejo with a complaint of pain to their left arm, Caggiano said.

The CHP is investigating the crash.