Dodge Motor Homes

Flaming motor home, DUI arrest top warm week on roadways

By Bill Lavallie and  Scott Thomas Anderson

A series of vehicle accidents kept mid-July busy for emergency responders, resulting in paramedics being deployed and one firefighting incident near a gas pump.

A Calaveras man traveling through Amador accidentally created a public safety issue when the trailer he was hauling downed a power line on July 14. California Highway Patrol officers said that 37-year-old Jason Starr, of Angels Camp, was driving eastbound on Highway 104 at approximately 40 mph when the lowboy trailer being pulled by his Peterbill truck struck an electrical line that was suspended over the road. The power line was knocked directly into the highway. A CHP report stated that Starr had no idea he had hit the line, and continued driving. The line was eventually de-activated and repaired.

What was supposed to be a fun trip to Lake Tahoe suddenly became a momentary scare for a family who were driving to the mountains in an old, Dodge motor home — after the vehicle’s engine compartment caught fire as it came through Martell. The incident happened around 1:48 p.m July 15. According to witnesses, the motor home was on Highway 49/88 when smoke began filling up its cab and billowing out of its hood. The driver of the Dodge immediately pulled off the road, bringing the smoky vehicle up to the side of a gas pump at Jon’s Pit Stop. The Jackson City Fire Department arrived on the scene within minutes, pulling a flaming piece of the console out to douse it with water. Firefighters also cracked the hood open and extinguished flames that were burning around the engine. Fire Capt. Dale Fishback said that the fire may have been caused by the wiring in the engine compartment. No one was hurt in the incident.

The next day, CHP officers responded to the scene of an accident on Tabeau Road, south of Eldel Road. The CHP released a media statement that said 27-year-old Matthew Loftis, of Pioneer, had been driving northbound on Tabeau when he “was distracted by a conversation he was having with his son and by a passer-by waving to him.” Loftis drifted off the road and crashed into a fence belonging to Gold Country Campground and Resort. “No one was hurt in this collision,” the CHP said in their release. “However, (Loftis) was placed under arrest for DUI.”

Emergency responders were dispatched to a three-car collision Sunday afternoon that left at least one person with injuries. According to the CHP, Catherine Pauley, of Stockton, was stopped at Highway 88 and Eggeman Road in her Chevy Malibu, waiting to make a left-hand turn. An officer said Diana Doyle, of Ione, was coming up behind the Chevy, but failed to notice it waiting to turn. By the time Doyle slammed on her brakes, a collision was unavoidable. Doyle’s Chevy Cobalt hit the back of Pauly’s Malibu, thrusting it into the opposite lane of traffic and resulting in Pauly hitting a Modesto man driving a Ford F350. “All three vehicles spun to a stop in the roadway,” according to the CHP report. Pauly sustained minor injuries in the encounter.

Flaming motor home, DUI arrest top rated warm week on roadways ...

A Calaveras man traveling by Amador accidentally produced a public safety situation when the trailer he was hauling downed a power line on July 14. California Highway Patrol officers said that 37-year-old Jason Starr, of Angels Camp, was driving eastbound on Highway 104 at around 40 mph when the lowboy trailer getting pulled by his Peterbill truck struck an electrical line that was suspended above the road. The power line was knocked directly into the highway. A CHP report stated that Starr had no strategy he had hit the line, and continued driving. The line was ultimately de-activated and repaired.

What was supposed to be a enjoyable trip to Lake Tahoe suddenly grew to become a momentary scare for a family members who were driving to the mountains in an old, Dodge motor home - immediately after the vehicle's engine compartment caught fire as it came by Martell. The incident occurred all-around 1:48 p.m July 15. According to witnesses, the motor home was on Highway 49/88 when smoke began filling up its cab and billowing out of its hood. The driver of the Dodge instantly pulled off the road, bringing the smoky automobile up to the side of a gas pump at Jon's Pit Cease. The Jackson City Fire Department arrived on the scene inside of minutes, pulling a flaming piece of the console out to douse it with water. Firefighters also cracked the hood open and extinguished flames that were burning all-around the engine. Fire Capt. Dale Fishback said that the fire may very well have been caused by the wiring in the engine compartment. No one was harm in the incident.

The following day, CHP officers responded to the scene of an accident on Tabeau Road, south of Eldel Road. The CHP released a media statement that said 27-year-old Matthew Loftis, of Pioneer, had been driving northbound on Tabeau when he "was distracted by a conversation he was possessing with his son and by a passer-by waving to him." Loftis drifted off the road and crashed into a fence belonging to Gold Country Campground and Resort. "No one was harm in this collision," the CHP said in their release. "However, (Loftis) was placed under arrest for DUI."

Emergency responders were dispatched to a 3-auto collision Sunday afternoon that left at least one particular person with injuries. According to the CHP, Catherine Pauley, of Stockton, was stopped at Highway 88 and Eggeman Road in her Chevy Malibu, waiting to make a left-hand turn. An officer said Diana Doyle, of Ione, was coming up behind the Chevy, but failed to notice it waiting to turn. By the time Doyle slammed on her brakes, a collision was unavoidable. Doyle's Chevy Cobalt hit the back of Pauly's Malibu, thrusting it into the opposite lane of targeted visitors and resulting in Pauly hitting a Modesto man driving a Ford F350. "All 3 vehicles spun to a quit in the roadway," according to the CHP report. Pauly sustained minor injuries in the encounter.

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