Truck Packed With Workers Crashes

At least one person died in a crash near La Honda late Thursday morning that involved a pick-up truck filled with workers who were performing weed abatement for a local open space district, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.
   
The crash was reported at 11:22 a.m. in the vicinity of Alpine and  Mindego Hill roads, in a rural area of San Mateo County near the Russian  Ridge Open Space Preserve.
   
In all six people were in the truck that crashed and overturned. From the looks of the vehicle it does not appear to be able to legally hold six occupants.

The CHP reported earlier that three people had died, but CHP  Sgt. Matt Otterby later said there was only one confirmed fatality. Two of the other injuries were considered critical.

Two more people suffered minor injuries and one person was able to walk away from the crash without any injury,  CHP Officer Kevin Bartlett said.
   
Rescue crews had trouble reaching the crash site, which was only accessible by foot and horseback, he said.

"We're going in slow motion because it's so hard to get to  everyone," Bartlett said.

Three medical helicopters were dispatched to the area, he said.

The people who were in the vehicle that crashed are contractors  who were out spraying non-native plants for the Midpeninsula Regional Open  Space District, district spokesman Gordon Baillie said.