Novato Woman ID'd as Crash Victim

The Marin County coroner's office has identified a woman on U.S. Highway 101 on Wednesday afternoon as 33-year-old Zoila E. Cruz of Novato.

Cruz was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Aveo south on Highway 101 just south of the Redwood Landfill flyover when the crash happened around 1:15 p.m., California Highway Patrol Officer Chris Rardin said.

For unknown reasons, Cruz allowed the car to drift from the fast lane into the center divide, and when she veered right to try to re-enter the roadway, she lost control, Rardin said.

The Chevrolet rotated clockwise and struck a tree on the west side of the road, Rardin said. Cruz died at the scene.

Her passenger, a 29-year-old woman, suffered major injuries and was taken to Marin General Hospital, Rardin said. Her name has not been released.

Both directions of the highway were closed while a CHP helicopter landed in the southbound lanes to transport the injured passenger to the hospital.

— Bay City News Service