By Cathy Locke
The Sacramento Bee
TRUCKEE, Calif. — The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is mourning the loss of a 25-year-old firefighter who died Sunday after a five-vehicle collision in the Sierra.
The crash occurred about 6:35 p.m. Friday on Highway 89 between Truckee and Squaw Valley. Kristin Jane Snook of Los Gatos, a seasonal firefighter with Cal Fire, was off duty and driving her 2006 Toyota Tacoma pickup northbound on Highway 89 when she lost control of the vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol. Her vehicle entered the northbound lane where it was struck head-on by a 2013 Ford F150 pickup.
The impact pushed Snook’s vehicle back into the southbound lane, where it was struck by three more vehicles.
Snook was taken to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, where she died of her injuries Sunday, according to Cal Fire.
A CHP spokesman said the driver of the F150 and the driver of one of the other vehicles involved in the collision were taken to Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee with minor to moderate injuries.
Cal Fire officials, in a written statement, said Snook had worked for one year with Cal Fire’s Santa Clara unit and was also a volunteer firefighter with the Santa Cruz County Fire Department. Her goal, officials said, was to become a career firefighter.
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It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of CAL FIRE Firefighter Kirstin Snook. Kirstin, 25, of the Summit...
Posted by CAL FIRE on Monday, March 14, 2016