Winters, CA – Early Sunday morning, August 30, 2026, a 66-year-old Vacaville woman was killed in a wrong-way head-on collision caused by a suspected DUI driver, according to FOX40, with additional reporting from CHP Fatal.
The California Highway Patrol reports that emergency personnel responded around 12:40 AM following an automated crash alert on southbound I-505, just south of the Putah Creek Road on-ramp.
Investigators determined that a 45-year-old Vallejo man driving a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe missed his exit, executed a U-turn on the freeway, and began traveling northbound in the southbound lanes. The Tahoe crashed head-on into a southbound 2026 Nissan Kicks. The impact of the initial collision scattered debris across the highway, causing three additional vehicles to sustain damage after striking the wreckage.
The 66-year-old woman driving the Nissan suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Tahoe sustained minor injuries and was taken into custody on suspicion of felony DUI.
Southbound I-505 was closed at Putah Creek Road for nearly four hours during the investigation and clean-up before reopening around 4:20 AM.
The details of this fatal head-on collision are still being investigated.
Solano County Head-On DUI Collisions and Wrongful Death Claims
Under California law, driving under the influence and traveling the wrong way on a highway are severe violations of the California Vehicle Code. When a motorist causes a fatal crash while violating traffic and safety statutes, they can be held liable under the legal doctrine of negligence per se.
The family of the deceased Vacaville woman may have grounds to pursue a wrongful death claim. A wrongful death claim can help cover funeral expenses, lost financial support, loss of consortium, and other damages brought on by a fatal crash.
Solano County Wrongful Death Lawyer
If you or someone you love was harmed in an accident like the one described here, on Interstate 505 near Putah Creek Road, contact a California wrongful death lawyer for any questions or to receive a no-cost, no-obligation case assessment.
