Stephen Ellison

Sheriff's Vehicle Crash Sparks House Fire in Sonoma County, Shuts Down Highway 1

The wreck into the home occurred during a high-speed chase; injured deputy taken to hospital

Both directions of state Highway 1 near Bodega Bay in unincorporated Sonoma County have reopened after a solo-vehicle crash involving a Sonoma County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle and a house fire, the California Highway Patrol said.

The crash occurred shortly after 5 a.m. in the 600 block of state Highway 1 near Smith Brothers Road, authorities said. A Sonoma County Sheriff's deputy was pursuing a vehicle suspected in recent thefts when he crashed into the home, according to the Sheriff's Office. The suspect vehicle was traveling at speeds of 90 to 100 mph.

The deputy was able to escape the car and, along with another deputy, helped residents evacuate the home. Shortly thereafter, the patrol car and home caught fire.

No one in the home was injured. The injured deputy was taken to a hospital and is expected to fully recover. The CHP is investigating the cause of the crash.

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