Passenger Kyle Hayes Killed in Healdsburg Car Accident on Highway 101
Healdsburg, CA (January 26, 2021) – On Monday, 20-year-old Kyle Hayes of Santa Rosa, died, while 19-year-old Adrienne Smith was injured in a deadly crash on Highway 101.
Authorities responded to the accident at about 12:17 a.m., south of Dry Creek Road.
Smith was driving a Ford Focus with passenger Hayes when she lost control of the vehicle. Then, the vehicle struck a tree and slid down a dirt embankment before coming to a stop.
Immediately, responders took Smith and Hayes to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries.
Unfortunately, Hayes suffered serious brain injuries. He died Monday afternoon at the hospital surrounded by family after his life support was taken off.
Though police are still investigating the incident, they said DUI is not suspected as a contributing factor.
Kassie Hayes, Kyle’s mother, said Smith, Hayes’ girlfriend, drove him to his cashier job in Mendocino on Sunday. Then, she hung out with his family who lives in the town until Hayes got off work at around 11 P.M.
Smith was driving him home ahead of an early-morning shift at Freeman Toyota in Santa Rosa, where he worked as a mechanic when the fatal accident happened.
“We already forgive her,” his mother said of Smith. “We know that she’s probably not going to stop beating herself up about this and that’s really sad. I think Kyle would really want her to move on and not let his passing ruin her life.”
Kyle Hayes
Hayes was born and raised in Mendocino. He spent about a decade training with a local nonprofit to be a circus performer, Kyle’s mother recalled.
He started classes at Santa Rosa Junior College soon after he graduated from Mendocino Community High School in 2018. Apparently, Kyle planned to transfer to a four-year college to study mechanical engineering.
Furthermore, Kyle’s mom said he worked on cars as soon as he could legally drive. Similarly, he started with the purchase of a $1,500 Mustang GT that he repaired and traded for a better car.
“He was very mechanically inclined,” she said. “He wanted to be the mechanic and own the shop, too.”
Kyle was a friend to those “outcasts in the community,” and a caring brother too.
Two weeks prior to Monday’s crash, Kyle’s younger brother Christopher joined the couple as a roommate in their Santa Rosa home.
“They were best friends,” she said of her sons. “They … were super excited to share their lives.”
Besides his mother and brother, Kyle left his father Bill and Peanut, the family’s chihuahua.
Sweet Lawyers extends our deepest condolences and sympathies to the bereaved family of Kyle Hayes. Our hearts are with you through these difficult times.
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Call Sweet Lawyers if you have lost a family member in a Healdsburg accident. We house wrongful death attorneys who are skilled in handling delicate cases. Moreover, with 44 years of experience in the field, we know how to tackle your case with compassion and scrupulous care. Allow our team to advocate for you in order to alleviate the financial tolls accrued in the aftermath of this tragedy. For more information, call us today at (800) 674 7854 for a free case evaluation.