A 66-year-old woman from Vacaville was killed early Sunday morning after a suspected wrong-way driver crashed head-on into her vehicle on Interstate 505 in Solano County, authorities said.
The collision happened at about 12:40 a.m. on southbound I-505, just south of Putah Creek Road. The woman was driving a 2026 Nissan Kicks when it was struck by a Chevrolet Tahoe traveling in the opposite direction.
According to the preliminary investigation, the Tahoe was being driven by a 45-year-old man from Vallejo. Investigators believe he had missed an exit while traveling southbound and then made a U-turn on the freeway. He subsequently continued north in the southbound lanes, apparently believing he was on a two-way roadway.
The Tahoe and Nissan collided head-on. The Vacaville woman, who was the only person in the Nissan, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Vallejo man, who was also alone in his vehicle, suffered minor injuries. He was taken into custody on suspicion of felony DUI and is expected to be booked into the Solano County Jail after receiving medical clearance.
The initial crash also sent debris across the freeway. Three additional vehicles were damaged after hitting debris from the collision, although those crashes resulted in minor damage.
Authorities were alerted to the serious crash after an automated iPhone crash alert was received. Emergency crews and investigators responded to the scene and temporarily diverted southbound traffic at Putah Creek Road while the investigation and cleanup were underway.
The freeway was reopened at about 4:20 a.m. Sunday.
The fatal collision remains under investigation. Authorities are asking anyone who may have information about the crash to contact the California Highway Patrol’s Solano Area office.
