Crashes cause morning commute problems

Rush hour accidents early Monday forced the closure of two major thoroughfares in Yuba City and sent at least three people to Rideout Memorial Hospital.

At about 7:45 a.m., 25-year-old Matthew Laprade of Tracy was speeding south in the left lane on Highway 99 at the Butte House Road overcrossing in a 2003 Audi when he encountered a Harley Davidson motorcycle, also in the left lane. Laprade passed the motorcycle but lost control and entered the center median, struck the east guard rail, then crossed both lanes of traffic and hit the west guard rail, coming to rest in the right lane, according to the Yuba-Sutter office of the California Highway Patrol.

The motorcyclist, 39-year-old Florencio Corona of Yuba City, braked abruptly when he saw Laprade hit the east guard rail, lost control and laid the machine down on its right side. Corona was not injured but his passenger, Maria Lira, 49, also of Yuba City, suffered an abrasion to her left arm, the CHP said.

Laprade was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries, then arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

About a half-hour later, a three-vehicle accident closed Live Oak Boulevard north of Northgate Drive. Two of the drivers, both unidentified women, were taken by ambulance to the hospital, where information on their conditions was not available. A child was a passenger in one of the vehicles but was not injured, said Sgt. Mike Green of the Yuba City Police Department.

Further information was unavailable from police.

CONTACT Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com