Coulterville Woman Identified As Victim In Tunnel Collapse

Published Apr 16, 2026 6:36 am

Knights Ferry, CA — The name of the woman who tragically died at a construction site on Tuesday near Knights Ferry has been confirmed by officials.

The Coroner’s Office in Calaveras County notes it was 35-year-old Twyla Capurro of Coulterville. She was a geologist who was working as an advisor at the Canyon Tunnel project site. The $84 million project is related to water improvements for the Oakdale Irrigation District and the South San Joaquin Irrigation District. Details surrounding the fatal incident are under investigation. It happened during the three o’clock hour on Tuesday afternoon near the intersection of Schell Road and Sonora Road.

The incident was within Calaveras County and the jurisdiction of the Copperopolis Fire Protection District. Additional firefighters responded from Modesto and Turlock. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with drone operations and provided situational awareness.

According to a joint statement between several responding agencies, the fatal victim was located at around 10:04 pm on Tuesday. A second individual trapped inside the tunnel was able to safely exit after suffering minor to moderate injuries.