Mather District rangers dealt with two serious accidents that injured a total of 15 people this past week. On July 15th, the driver of a passenger van carrying eight people fell asleep on the Tioga Road east of Yosemite Creek. The van went over the edge, rolling completely at least once on a talus slope before hitting a tree that stopped its descent. The impact with the tree prevented the vehicle from rolling several hundred feet further down the embankment. Nine Mather rangers assisted at the accident scene, along with Tuolumne SAR volunteers and ambulance staff from Yosemite Valley and El Portal. Four park ambulances transported the van’s occupants to area medical facilities for treatment of injuries that included a clavicle fracture, lower leg fracture, and various back and neck problems.
On July 19th, nine Mather rangers responded to a head-on collision between two SUV’s, also on the Tioga Road. Six people sustained injuries, including lack of sensation below the waist, back and neck trauma, and chest pain. Rangers were joined by SAR rescuers from Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley. Three victims were flown to medical facilities in the Central Valley, while the three less injured parties were transported to Sonora and the Yosemite Medical Clinic. The investigation to determine the cause of the accident is ongoing.
(NPS Morning Report)