Man killed in Highway 49 accident

Two people injured in morning 2-car crashBy Jamie Trump, Journal Staff WriterAn Auburn resident died Thursday morning in a traffic accident that sent two others to the hospital and frightened a school bus load of children.Auburn residents Dwight Waters, 76, and his wife, Melba Waters, 71, left their home on Winding Way between 8 and 9 a.m., said Officer Larry Blevins from the California Highway Patrol. As they got to Lone Star Road, the driver, Dwight Waters, prepared to cross northbound traffic and turn left onto Grass Valley Highway (Highway 49).However, Blevins said he apparently didn?t see a green Jeep Cherokee traveling northbound on the highway and the two vehicles collided.The force of the accident sent Waters? maroon Buick spinning and flipped the Jeep onto its top, Blevins said. As the Buick spun, flying debris hit a school bus from Durham School Services carrying approximately 30 children and traveling southbound on the highway.None of the children in the bus were hurt. CHP, Placer Consolidated Fire Protection District, Placer County Sheriff?s Department and Higgins Fire Department responded to the scene. No arrests were made.Dwight Waters was pulled out of his car and pronounced dead on the scene. His wife and the driver of the Jeep, Mihaela Hasse, 44, were transported to Sutter Roseville Hospital where they were treated for minor injuries and released, said Robin Montgomery, official with the hospital.?We think it?s a right of way violation because of what the witnesses said,? Blevins said. ?One witness, a 14-year-old, said she thought the green Jeep Cherokee was speeding, but if it was going that much faster, there would be a lot more damage to the Buick.?There were no skid marks visible on the road, Blevins said.When Auburn residents Valarie Earl and Wendy Cosbie heard the crashing noises and sirens, they cringed, knowing an accident had occurred. Although both were saddened by the results of the collision, Cosbie said that after living off Lone Star Road for nearly seven years, she wasn?t surprised.?This intersection has always been dangerous,? she said. ?There?s a whole lot of facts to it. There are blind turns and no lane for us to merge into going either way. We are all asking our cars to go from zero to at least 65 mph in just seconds and that doesn?t happen unless we all drive Porches. The traffic is increasing here and these roads are not meant for that. There are accidents out there weekly, not fatal ones, but accidents.?CalTrans has turned down Cosbie?s requests for a signal since 1999, but she said she?s not ready to give up her fight.?I do have a busy life, but my daughter?s driving and my sons are going to start driving in December,? she said. ?I?m sorry we moved out there and I am seriously thinking about moving because this is crazy,? she said. ?I just don?t want to deal with it. I don?t want to lose my children.?Earl has lived off Lone Star Road for about two years and she agreed it?s a dangerous place to drive.?I was involved in an accident in the same area a few weeks ago,? she said. ?I wasn?t hurt, but I?m being blamed for it and I don?t think that it was all my fault. Everyone around here feels that it?s a very dangerous intersection. The speed is only part of it. It just can?t be overlooked. It?s just not fair to the residents around here.?Blevins said his department had heard requests for a traffic signal at that specific intersection from area residents, and CHP officers have agreed to continue monitoring the speeds in the area.?I can?t say there?s been a lot of accidents there,? he said. ?We?ve had accidents there in the past but if you look at the numbers of vehicles that go through that area, there really hasn?t been that many.?