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Crash kills 5 on Delta fishing trip
Car plunges into slough -- found upside down
Kelly St. John, Charlie Goodyear, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writers
March 26, 2004
A fishing trip by five people in Solano County ended tragically Thursday when their car plunged into a slough in the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, killing them all.
Authorities found the bodies of four males and a female inside a white Chrysler LeBaron after a state Fish and Game Department employee spotted part of the car sticking out of the water about 9 miles south of Suisun City at about 1:15 p.m.
Four of the victims were identified as Bryan Deming, 18, the driver; Steven Petrini, 14; Kattie Thomason, 15; and Lee Thomason, 14, who California Highway Patrol officials said may be Kattie's brother. The Solano County coroner's office has not confirmed the fourth male's identity.
Investigators said it appeared no one in the group -- which had been spotted fishing in the area Thursday morning -- had made an attempt to escape the water-logged car.
Only the driver was wearing a seatbelt. And the CHP said it was investigating whether alcohol had played a role in the tragedy. Bottles of beer were found in the car.
The CHP said the Chrysler was registered to an address in American Canyon. A man contacted at that address Thursday night said, "That was my son."
He declined to talk about the accident, saying other people had not yet been notified of the deaths.
Neighbors said an 18-year-old youth lived at the home. "He was a good kid, '' said one resident, who asked not to be named. "He was real polite. He always said 'hi' to me. They are really nice, polite neighbors. They help you out when you need it.''
High school-age teens from American Canyon attend school in neighboring Napa, where students are now on spring break.
"We always worry, especially during spring break and vacations,'' said Jose Solis, a teacher at Napa Valley High School. "I don't think kids realize the danger of partying and alcohol. I'm sorry to hear that happened.''
Officials first learned of the crash when the Fish and Game employee saw the sedan resting upside down, its rear end sticking out of the water in Red Tule Slough off Grizzly Island Road.
CHP Officer Marvin Williford said a witness had reported seeing the group fishing around 11:30 a.m. before they packed up. The witness believed the group had been heading for a different fishing spot in the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area.
Although apparently no one witnessed the crash, investigators believe the driver missed a sharp turn on the winding gravel road.
"They failed to negotiate a left-hand curve,'' Williford said. "They went straight. The vehicle inverted and went into the water.''
Brian Anderson, the tow truck driver who pulled the car out of the water, said he had spotted at least a dozen bottles inside the car.
Anderson said the Chrysler was equipped with electric windows, perhaps making it impossible for anyone to roll them down in time.
It took Anderson more than an hour to lift the car out of the slough. "It was upside down, and the back end of the car was sticking out,'' he said.
The wildlife area is a popular place for fishing and bird watching. But the county gravel road that runs through it takes numerous sharp turns and is bordered in places by bodies of water.
The area has recorded many fatal crashes over the years and is especially treacherous in bad weather.
Troy Swauger, a spokesman for Fish and Game, said the accident had occurred about 2 miles into the wildlife area past the department's station and near a pumping station.
The county coroner's office scheduled autopsies for Friday.
E-mail the writers at kstjohn@sfchronicle.com and cgoodyear@sfchronicle.com.
Car plunges into slough -- found upside down
Kelly St. John, Charlie Goodyear, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writers
March 26, 2004
A fishing trip by five people in Solano County ended tragically Thursday when their car plunged into a slough in the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, killing them all.
Authorities found the bodies of four males and a female inside a white Chrysler LeBaron after a state Fish and Game Department employee spotted part of the car sticking out of the water about 9 miles south of Suisun City at about 1:15 p.m.
Four of the victims were identified as Bryan Deming, 18, the driver; Steven Petrini, 14; Kattie Thomason, 15; and Lee Thomason, 14, who California Highway Patrol officials said may be Kattie's brother. The Solano County coroner's office has not confirmed the fourth male's identity.
Investigators said it appeared no one in the group -- which had been spotted fishing in the area Thursday morning -- had made an attempt to escape the water-logged car.
Only the driver was wearing a seatbelt. And the CHP said it was investigating whether alcohol had played a role in the tragedy. Bottles of beer were found in the car.
The CHP said the Chrysler was registered to an address in American Canyon. A man contacted at that address Thursday night said, "That was my son."
He declined to talk about the accident, saying other people had not yet been notified of the deaths.
Neighbors said an 18-year-old youth lived at the home. "He was a good kid, '' said one resident, who asked not to be named. "He was real polite. He always said 'hi' to me. They are really nice, polite neighbors. They help you out when you need it.''
High school-age teens from American Canyon attend school in neighboring Napa, where students are now on spring break.
"We always worry, especially during spring break and vacations,'' said Jose Solis, a teacher at Napa Valley High School. "I don't think kids realize the danger of partying and alcohol. I'm sorry to hear that happened.''
Officials first learned of the crash when the Fish and Game employee saw the sedan resting upside down, its rear end sticking out of the water in Red Tule Slough off Grizzly Island Road.
CHP Officer Marvin Williford said a witness had reported seeing the group fishing around 11:30 a.m. before they packed up. The witness believed the group had been heading for a different fishing spot in the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area.
Although apparently no one witnessed the crash, investigators believe the driver missed a sharp turn on the winding gravel road.
"They failed to negotiate a left-hand curve,'' Williford said. "They went straight. The vehicle inverted and went into the water.''
Brian Anderson, the tow truck driver who pulled the car out of the water, said he had spotted at least a dozen bottles inside the car.
Anderson said the Chrysler was equipped with electric windows, perhaps making it impossible for anyone to roll them down in time.
It took Anderson more than an hour to lift the car out of the slough. "It was upside down, and the back end of the car was sticking out,'' he said.
The wildlife area is a popular place for fishing and bird watching. But the county gravel road that runs through it takes numerous sharp turns and is bordered in places by bodies of water.
The area has recorded many fatal crashes over the years and is especially treacherous in bad weather.
Troy Swauger, a spokesman for Fish and Game, said the accident had occurred about 2 miles into the wildlife area past the department's station and near a pumping station.
The county coroner's office scheduled autopsies for Friday.
E-mail the writers at kstjohn@sfchronicle.com and cgoodyear@sfchronicle.com.
