Calif. Responders Treat Colleague at Crash Scene

Jan. 16--It should have been a Saturday night of fun for two Lake County families.

In one car, a Clearlake couple was heading to hear a friend play in a band at Hidden Valley Lake Golf Course.

In the other car, a family from Hidden Valley Lake and a Santa Rosa friend were going in the opposite direction to a birthday party.

Near Lower Lake, on rural Highway 29, their two vehicles collided Saturday night on a long sweeping turn. Three people in the second car died in the crash.

The three survivors suffered critical injuries and remained hospitalized Monday in intensive care.

The driver of the second car, Michael Wright, 50, who survived, is a captain with Cal Fire at a Lake County fire station, said CHP Officer Kevin Domby, who is investigating the collision.

For some reason Wright lost control of his 2001 BMW sedan, skidded into the opposite lane and smashed into a 2008 Ford SUV, driven by Steven Beyer, 53, of Clearlake.

The crash killed Wright's longtime girlfriend, Kari Marks, 53; her daughter, Jena Marks, 24; and her daughter's boyfriend, Patrick Campbell, 27, of Santa Rosa.

"It was his whole family," Domby said.

In critical condition Monday, Wright spoke to CHP officers from his bed at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

"He didn't have a recollection. He's severely injured. He was cooperative and provided as much as he could remember," Domby said.

But it didn't help officers determine what happened.

They also spoke to Beyer, who is in serious condition at Memorial, but he also couldn't help them with an answer, Domby said.

The third survivor is Beyer's wife, Lezley, 54, who suffered serious head injuries, a broken hip and facial injuries. She initially was treated at Memorial but was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, the CHP said.

Domby said family members indicated Lezley Beyer was showing positive signs and appeared to be stable.

The two families apparently didn't know each other, but some of the rescue crews did.

Several firefighters recognized Wright, and some knew his family, Domby said.

"It wasn't his station, but they all know each other, they train together," he said.

And the CHP said at least one of the responders knew the Beyers.

That happens in a small community.

"You're going to go to calls of people you know," Domby said. "It's devastating to a small county. People are going to know each other. It does ripple through."

CHP now will try to figure out what went wrong. They'll check the wrecked vehicles for any sign of mechanical failure and review crash scene measurements and photos.

Alcohol was not involved and speed didn't appear to be a factor, CHP Sgt. Bill Holcomb said.

"There was a turning movement by the BMW that took it into the opposing lane. The other party tried to react but was unable to avoid" the collision, Domby said.

No witnesses to the crash have been found.

Highway 29 was closed for about three hours, and at one point a suspected drunken driver drove into the closure area, was stopped and arrested.

"It was a sullen scene, processing it all. It brings it to reality what can happen to anybody's family," Domby said.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or [email protected].