New Details On Tuesday’s Motorcycle Crash That Impacted HWY 49
Sonora, CA – The CHP Sonora Unit has identified the two individuals involved in a motorcycle versus sedan crash that stalled traffic on Highway 49 during Tuesday’s evening commute.
The collision actually happened on Shaws Flat Road right at the highway intersection just after 4:30 p.m. That section was shut down, as the wreckage blocked both lanes. Due to its close proximity to the highway, commuters also slowed down, backing up traffic for about an hour, as earlier reported here.
CHP spokesperson Officer Steve Machado recounted that 20-year-old Virginia Rose Hahn of Sonora was driving her 2006 Volkswagen Jetta northbound on Shaws Flat Road, north of the highway. At that same time, 39-year-old James Ashley Burroughs of Sonora was riding his 2008 Husqvarna motorcycle directly behind her vehicle. While stopped and waiting to make a left turn into a driveway on Shaws Flat Road, Burroughs was unable to stop in time. The front of his bike struck the rear of Hahn’s vehicle.
Burroughs was ejected from the motorcycle and landed on the east shoulder. He suffered serious injuries and was flown to Doctors Medical Center for treatment. Hahn sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene. Machado added, “Burroughs was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, and alcohol and/or drugs were determined not to be a factor in this crash.
