Wrong-Way Accident on 5 Freeway Near Knighton Road Leaves One Dead and One Injured
REDDING, CA (January 6, 2018) – CHP reported a fatal head-on collision on the southbound 5 Freeway, around 12:17 PM, just south of Knighton Road.
28-year-old Grace Elizabeth Ward from Red Bluff, was driving north on Interstate 5 in her 2009 grey Chevy Impala, when she swerved through the center divide and drove north in the southbound lanes. She then crashed head-first into a maroon 2012 Honda Accord.
The Accord veered off the highway into a ditch on the right hand shoulder. The driver was Ryan John Folsom from San Antonio, Texas, who died from traumatic injuries sustained in the accident.
The 29-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, while Ward was taken to Mercy Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries and a broken leg.
Folsom was headed to residency interviews for his training to become a doctor. He leaves behind his expecting wife and two boys. A GoFundMe was set up to support the victim’s family, as they had invested everything into Folsom’s dream of becoming a doctor.
Authorities suspect that the wrong-way driver may have been suicidal at the time of the accident, but investigation is still underway.
All lanes of the freeway were closed until cars were towed and cleaned up. Traffic was redirected until lanes reopened hours later.
The offices of Sweet Law Group send sincere sympathies to the loved ones of Ryan John Folsom. We wish his family and friends strength is this trying time.
If you have a loved, or know someone that was involved in a fatal wrong-way accident, contact the Sweet Law Group. Our experienced wrongful death lawyers have over 44 years of experience in the field, and know what it takes to get the compensation and justice you and your family deserve. Call (800) 203-3061 now to discuss your legal case.
