Major injuries in three-car crash

Firefighters using the Jaws of Life extracted three injured people from vehicles mangled in a high-speed collision Sunday night on Highway 12. The accident occurred at about 9 p.m. near Madrone Road.

“We’re looking in to the involvement of alcohol,” said Jaret Paulson of the CHP. “There are some indicators.”

Under scrutiny is Edgar Martinez, 30, of Santa Rosa, who instigated the accident by crossing his 1997 Nissan Altima over the double yellow line. His vehicle collided head-on into a Honda CRV driven by Stacey Burmer, 44, of Sanger.

The two drivers were the most severely injured, Paulson said. Burmer was airlifted to Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa, while Ramirez was taken by ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

A passenger in Burmer’s car, Debra Skelton, 40, of Rio Vista, was also transported to the Santa Rosa facility via ambulance.
All three were extracted from the wreckage by firefighters using Jaws of Life equipment.

The driver of a third vehicle, Jessica Petro, 27, of Santa Rosa, was also hospitalized in Santa Rosa.

Petro was traveling directly behind Burmer’s Honda. She tried to steer clear of the colliding vehicles, but struck part of Ramirez’s car. The impact sent her Acura skidding into the guardrail.

With wreckage strewn along the pavement, both directions of Highway 12 were closed for several hours after the accident.