Clearlake man airlifted after major collision with a trailer in Meridian

A Clearlake man was airlifted to a Roseville hospital after a collision with a trailer in Meridian on Thursday.

At about 10:15 a.m., Ronald Coonrod, 56, was driving his Chevy Silverado east on Highway 20 when he reached down to retrieve an item, according to a California Highway Patrol press release.

When he did so, his truck drifted into the westbound lane of Highway 20 in front of 62-year-old John Spoon’s big rig and trailer. Coonrod was able to partially correct the drift and avoid colliding head-on, instead side-swiping the left rear of the semi trailer, according to the release.

Spoon then lost control and struck a Ford pickup truck driving directly behind Coonrod, which sent the Ford pickup, driven by Michael Clark, 27, of Woodland, out of control before coming to a stop on the south shoulder of Highway 20, west of Central Street.

Coonrod and Spoon’s vehicles came to a stop in the lanes of the highway, causing it to be closed for two hours so emergency crews could tend to the injured parties, investigate and clean up.

Coonrod was airlifted to Sutter Roseville with major injuries. Clark had minor injuries but was not transported to the hospital, and Spoon was uninjured. All three men were wearing seatbelts and alcohol and drugs are not suspected in the crash, according to the CHP.

A Linda home was destroyed early Thursday by a fire that officials labeled suspicious.

By the time firefighters arrived in the 1700 block of Hammonton Smartsville Road around 1 a.m., the house was fully engulfed in flames, Linda Battalion Chief Kyle Heggstrom said. The entire home was destroyed.

The home was condemned by the county, he said, and was supposed to be empty. But, people were staying there, though they evacuated the area before fire personnel arrived. No one was injured.

Firefighters worked to put out the fire until 3:30 a.m. No other structures were damaged, as the home is situated in the middle of a walnut orchard.

Heggstrom said it is under investigation.