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Spilled coffee seen as cause of fatal head-on crash
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | April 3 | Erin Allday

Posted on 04/03/2006 1:26:26 PM PDT by nickcarraway

50-year-old Hayward man was killed this morning after a cup of coffee spilled into the lap of an oncoming driver, leading to a head-on crash on Highway 121 in Sonoma, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The victim was identified as Ramon Viviano, who was driving a 1990 Mercury sedan when an oncoming pickup truck crossed into his lane. Viviano died at the scene.

Armando Chavez, 26, of Sonoma, was driving north on Highway 121 at about 5:30 a.m. when he apparently spilled hot coffee in his lap and looked down, taking his eyes off the road, said CHP Officer Jerry Rico. Chavez's 2005 GMC pickup drifted into the southbound lane, hitting Viviano head-on.

Chavez was taken to Kaiser Hospital in Santa Rosa with minor injuries. Rico said the crash was being investigated, and he did not know whether charges would be filed against Chavez.

Rico said he'd seen similar accidents in that area involving distracted drivers. He recalled an accident when a driver dropped his cell phone and, while he was trying to pick it up, drove his car up an embankment and rolled it over onto the highway. That driver survived.

"People with coffee, cell phones -- you're trying to do too many things in that vehicle," Rico said. "Compounded by wet roadways, it doesn't give you the same traction and reaction ability once you find yourself in harm's way."

Today's accident occurred halfway between Schellville and the Infineon Raceway and tied up traffic for several hours during the morning commute as drivers tried to find alternate routes. Highway 121 reopened for two-way traffic at 8:30 a.m.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: coffee; traffic; trafficaccident

1 posted on 04/03/2006 1:26:28 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
Wonder if McDonald's will be sued over this also, their coffee is still too hot for your crotch, can cause death.
2 posted on 04/03/2006 1:28:28 PM PDT by Abathar (Proudly catching hell for posting without reading since 2004)
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To: nickcarraway

What happened to the twenty illegals in the back of the pickup?</sarc>


3 posted on 04/03/2006 1:28:33 PM PDT by RightResponse (It depends on what the defamation of Islam is .....)
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To: nickcarraway

Just spilling coffee that Americans don't want to spill


4 posted on 04/03/2006 1:29:21 PM PDT by Fractal Trader
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To: nickcarraway

Bad writing from this journalist, esp. the first line. I wondered how the spilled coffee got across the divider line into the oncoming car.


5 posted on 04/03/2006 1:30:10 PM PDT by Ciexyz (Let us always remember, the Lord is in control.)
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To: nickcarraway

TAX COFFEE MORE!


6 posted on 04/03/2006 1:30:19 PM PDT by Mark (Rap is to music as etch-a-sketch is to fine art.)
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To: nickcarraway
One of my wifes students lost his father and step-sister in a head-on at the same location at Christmas; other driver veered into their lane, two killed, two maimed for life.
7 posted on 04/03/2006 1:30:43 PM PDT by SF Republican
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To: nickcarraway
Guys, wait a minute. It might've been TROP®.
/sarc
8 posted on 04/03/2006 1:31:17 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Abathar
Wonder if McDonald's will be sued over this also, their coffee is still too hot for your crotch, can cause death.

Don't forget the manufacturers of his pants, the cup, the car ...

9 posted on 04/03/2006 1:31:31 PM PDT by John Jorsett (scam never sleeps)
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To: RightResponse
What happened to the twenty illegals in the back of the pickup?

They were cited and released at the emergency room.

10 posted on 04/03/2006 1:32:28 PM PDT by jokar (for it is by grace, http://www.gbible.org)
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To: Fractal Trader; RightResponse

You are both racist jackasses.


11 posted on 04/03/2006 1:36:49 PM PDT by TankerKC (Pull your head out.)
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To: TankerKC

Been watchin' the news lately?


12 posted on 04/03/2006 1:52:06 PM PDT by RightResponse (It depends on what the defamation of Islam is .....)
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To: RightResponse

All you have to see is a Hispanic surname that the crap starts. You do realize that there are plenty of people in the US with Hispanic surnames that have lived here for generations, right?


13 posted on 04/03/2006 1:53:47 PM PDT by TankerKC (Pull your head out.)
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To: TankerKC

I wish someone would post a list of pre-approved surnames. There must be ten or twenty of them.


14 posted on 04/03/2006 2:03:35 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy
I wish someone would post a list of pre-approved surnames. There must be ten or twenty of them.

Oh no, there are no approved Hispanic surnames. They all belong bad, illegal criminals!

15 posted on 04/03/2006 2:05:34 PM PDT by TankerKC (Pull your head out.)
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To: TankerKC

Can you imagine the reaction if it was reported that the coffee was French roast purchased at Taco Bell?


16 posted on 04/03/2006 2:07:12 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Fractal Trader

heehee


17 posted on 04/03/2006 3:03:27 PM PDT by teenyelliott (Soylent green should be made outta liberals...)
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