Angels Camp, CA…Earlier today Hwy 49 was closed for an extended period of time because of a fatal multi-vehicle collision that tragically took the life of a young Coperopolis girl today. Below is directly from the CHP release…

POWELL WAS TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON STATE ROUTE 49 SOUTH OF FRICOT CITY RD. COLDWELL, MCCUBBINS, AND MORALES WERE TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON STATE ROUTE 49 APPROACHING POWELL. FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, POWELL ALLOWED HIS VEHICLE TO TRAVEL INTO THE SOUTHBOUND LANE. POWELL’S VEHICLE SIDESWIPED COLDWELL’S SUV. POWELL’S VEHICLE THEN COLLIDED WITH MCCUBBIN’ S VEHICLE SENDING THE VEHICLE DOWN AN EMBANKMENT ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. POWELL’S VEHICLE THEN COLLIDED WITH A VEHICLE BEING DRIVEN BY MORALES. POWELL’S TRUCK OVERTURNED DOWN THE EMBANKMENT ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. UNFORTUNATELY, AS A RESULT OF THIS COLLISION A 13-YEAR OLD PASSENGER IN THE LEFT REAR OF THE SATURN SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES AT THE SCENE.

THIS COLLISION IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

THE ENTIRE ROADWAY WAS CLOSED COMPLETELY FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR AND ONE-WAY TRAFFIC CONTROL WAS IN EFFECT FOR ANOTHER 3 HOURS.

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ARE NOT SUSPECTED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THIS COLLISION.