Cotati Man Injured in Monday Morning Crash

A Cotati man suffered major head injuries Monday morning when his Ford Mustang was rear-ended in stopped traffic by another vehicle on U.S. Highway 101 in unincorporated Marin County near Novato, a California Highway
Patrol Officer said.

Cresencio Chavez-Figueroa, 57, stopped his 1999 Mustang behind the traffic in the No. 1 lane of southbound Highway 101 just north of the Redwood Landfill around 6:45 a.m., CHP Officer Eric Hohmeister said.

Michael Samples, 55, of Santa Rosa, was driving a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta at approximately 60 mph in the No. 1 southbound lane of the highway when he looked in the rear-view mirror and failed to see the stopped Mustang, Hohmeister said.

The front of the Jetta struck the rear of the Mustang, pushing the Mustang into the rear of a 2007 Dodge Ram 3500 driven by 64-year-old Michael Thomas of Santa Rosa, Hohmeister said.

The Jetta then stopped in the center divider facing in a northwesterly direction and the Mustang came to rest in the No. 1 and No. 2 lanes facing east, Hohmeister said.

Thomas drove the Dodge truck off to the right shoulder before officers arrived, Hohmeister said. The Mustang and Jetta sustained major damage. Chavez-Figueroa suffered major head injuries and was taken to Marin General Hospital by Novato Fire Protection District paramedics, Hohmeister said.

Francisco Donan-Herrera, 38, of Santa Rosa, the right front passenger in the Mustang, complained of pain in his right leg and left arm and was taken to Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center, Hohmeister said.

The Ford's right rear passenger, Jorge Donan, 27, of Petaluma, suffered cuts on his face and complained of neck and back pain and was taken to Marin General Hospital, Hohmeister said. Samples complained of chest pain and was taken to Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center, and Thomas complained of neck pain and was treated at the scene and released, Hohmeister said.

The crash closed the No. 1 lane of southbound Highway 101 for 45 minutes.

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