UPDATE, 1:55 p.m.: From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On March 31, 2015 at about 6:00 PM there was a single vehicle traffic accident on southbound Highway 101 near Highway 299. Two subjects in the vehicle received extensive injuries as a result of the accident.

One of the injured subjects was declared deceased at the scene. The other injured subject was transported to Mad River Hospital and declared deceased at the hospital.

The deceased persons have been identified as Stacy M. Kejmar, age 50, of McKinleyville. The second subject has been identified as Karen L. Brennan, age 59, of Eureka. The California Highway Patrol is the lead agency in this investigation. All further information regarding this incident will be released through their office.

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California Highway Patrol press release: 

The night of Tuesday, March 31, two occupants sustained fatal injuries out of a DUI collision on US-101, north of Arcata.

Just after 6 p.m., 57 year old William Larry Morris of Fortuna was driving a silver Hyundai Accent southbound on US-101, south of State Route 299, along with two adult female passengers.  Due to Morris driving while under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs, he allowed the vehicle to drive off the west roadway edge where the vehicle collided directly into a tree.  The female adult passenger who was seated in the right front seat sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The female adult passenger who was seated in the right rear seat was transported by ground ambulance to Mad River Community Hospital where she was pronounced deceased a short time later.  Morris sustained minor injuries and was ultimately booked into the Humboldt County Jail facility on felony DUI and gross vehicular manslaughter charges. It was further discovered that Morris was driving on a suspended license. The two female occupants who sustained fatal injuries were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the collision.

A few minutes prior to this collision, CHP Humboldt Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call of a reckless driver in a silver sedan on US-101 Southbound, south of McKinleyville.  It is believed that this is the same vehicle that was involved in the traffic collision.

Agencies that responded to and assisted with this collision include the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office, Caltrans, Arcata Fire Protection District, Humboldt Bay Fire, City Ambulance of Eureka, and Mad River Community Hospital personnel.

This is the fifth fatal collision investigated by the CHP Humboldt Area office to date for the 2015 year that has resulted in a total of 7 fatal victims.  4 of these 7 victims are the result of DUI.  The CHP reminds motorists to dial 9-1-1 immediately if you suspect a driver to be DUI.

PREVIOUSLY: Two People Killed in Car Crash on 101 Near Arcata