CHP re-opens southbound highway 101 after pileup
Northbound lanes remain closed

By Karli Bulnes, Bay City News Service

March 11, 2006

SAUSALITO (BCN) - The California Highway Patrol is escorting groups of vehicles back onto southbound U.S. Highway 101 in Marin County following a 31-vehicle pile-up early this morning that killed two people and shut down the highway in both directions.

The southbound portion of the highway was "partially re-opened'' as of 7:30 a.m., a CHP spokesman said.

According to CHP Sgt. Wayne Ziese, the northbound lanes will remain closed "all day'' to allow investigators to collect evidence related to the double-fatal crash.

Despite the re-opening of the southbound lanes, the CHP is advising drivers to find alternate routes since the area is experiencing lengthy delays.

"It is not going to be an easy travel,'' Ziese said.

Ziese is advising motorists traveling northbound from San Francisco to avoid the Golden Gate Bridge. Instead, Ziese said they should take Interstate Highway 80 to Interstate Highway 580 to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to get to U.S. Highway 101.

The pile-up started just after 2:30 a.m. on a downhill grade in Sausalito near the Waldo Tunnel, the CHP reported. Two people died in the accident and many more were injured, the CHP reported.

According to Ziese, officers arrested the driver of a Honda Civic on suspicion of felony driving under the influence.

Ziese said the Honda slammed into the back of a sport utility vehicle, killing two of its passengers.

The CHP reported icy and slushy road conditions probably contributed to the cause of the collision and the massive pileup.

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