Soulsbyville Resident Identified As Hwy 108-Via Este Accident Victim

Sonora, CA — The Tuolumne County Coroner’s Office has positively identified 22 year old Emmett Broaddus of Soulsbyville as the victim of the multi-vehicle accident this morning on Hwy 108 at Via Este.

Broaddus was driving his red Acura westbound when he failed to realize the vehicle in front of him was preparing to make a left hand turn onto Via Este.

In an effort to avoid a collision Broaddus veered to the right. He then lost control of his vehicle which crossed over the center line into the eastbound lane where it was broadsided on the passenger’s side by an eastbound 1999 Toyota Tacoma pickup.

The Acura ended up in a ditch and Broaddus was pronounced dead at the scene of severe head trauma.

This marks the second and third traffic related fatalities of the year near this intersection this year.

It was a short distance east of this location near Barnwood Ct. where a double fatality took place on March 16 of this year at 3pm. 63 year old Sheri Pratt perished when her 1992 Ford Bronco collided head on with a 2001 Subaru Outback driven by 60 year old Ronald Lancaster. The Soulsbyville resident died at the scene while Pratt succumbed at a Modesto hospital.

Written by bill.johnson@mlode.com