Holiday Travelers Injured

Sonora, CA — The Sonora Area CHP office stayed busy over the Christmas holiday responding to 12 accidents.

The annual Maximum Enforcement Period ran from Friday night up until late Tuesday, as all available officers were on the road.

One of the more serious accidents during that period occurred on Sunday evening along Highway 108 near the Yosemite Junction. The CHP reports that 22-year-old Matt Bower, and his wife Chelsea Bower, were hurt in the single-vehicle crash. Their car hydroplaned, went down an embankment, and flipped over several times. The pair was taken to Sonora Regional Medical Center on Sunday night. Matt was later flown to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto to treat his injuries, but thankfully he is now back at SRMC and is recovering with his wife.

There was also a serious accident on Monday afternoon along Ferretti Road. The CHP says a Groveland woman sustained major injuries after driving off the road. Ferretti Road, near Cottonwood Road, had to be shut down for an extended period. The driver, 48-year-old Carmen Harwell of Groveland, was arrested for DUI. It was one of six DUI arrests made by the Sonora area CHP during the MEP period.

To read an earlier report about accidents in Calaveras County, click here.