Charles Patrick La Fortune Obituary, Death: The Sonoma County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office has identified the man who died in a devastating 12-vehicle crash on Highway 12 in Santa Rosa. The victim, Charles Patrick La Fortune, 78, from Sebastopol, lost his life on Thursday, August 29, when his Toyota Tacoma pickup truck was struck by a dump truck that later caught fire.
The tragic incident occurred at 11:52 a.m. on westbound Highway 12, near Fulton Road. Emergency personnel, including the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the Santa Rosa Fire Department, responded to the scene. According to CHP Officer David deRutte, the dump truck rear-ended several vehicles that were stopped at the intersection of Highway 12 and Fulton Road.
La Fortune, who was alone in his pickup truck, was the first vehicle hit by the dump truck. After the initial collision, the Toyota Tacoma caught fire, resulting in La Fortune’s death. The impact also pushed La Fortune’s vehicle into several others, causing significant damage to many of the cars involved. In total, 12 vehicles were part of the crash, which left eight people injured. Fortunately, the injuries sustained by the other individuals were non-life-threatening, and they were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
The cause of the dump truck’s failure to stop and its subsequent collision with the vehicles in front remains under investigation by the CHP. Authorities have not yet determined what caused the truck driver to rear-end the stopped traffic, and further inquiries are ongoing.
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, the scene was chaotic. Vehicles trapped between the crash site—located just east of Fulton Road—and Stony Point Road were either turned around or rerouted off the freeway through a temporary break in the fence, which was created by firefighters to facilitate evacuation.
Firefighters remained on-site for several hours, assisting the CHP with documenting the crash scene and managing other tasks related to the investigation and cleanup. Their presence was critical in managing the extensive damage and ensuring the safety of those involved in the crash.
Identifying Charles Patrick La Fortune took longer than usual due to the nature of the crash and the severe injuries he sustained. Sheriff’s spokesperson Rob Dillion explained that the extensive damage from the fire made the identification process more challenging than in typical incidents.
This tragic accident has left the community shocked and mourning the loss of La Fortune, while the ongoing investigation aims to uncover what caused the dump truck to collide with the stopped vehicles, leading to such a catastrophic outcome. As authorities continue to piece together the events of that day, the hope is that further details will bring clarity to the situation and provide some closure for the families affected.