Morning rain leads to multiple crashes around Sonoma County

<p>Wet roadways are believed to have contributed to numerous, multi-car crashes around Sonoma County during the Thursday morning commute as rain returned to the area, the CHP said.</p><p>No serious injuries were reported, but at various times emergency crews and law enforcement were battling on several fronts at once.</p><p>Around 8 a.m., a five-car crash on eastbound Highway 12 in Santa Rosa blocked all eastbound traffic and “was the start of the whole 101/12 corridor area falling apart,” Officer Steve Fricke said.</p><p>Within minutes, a multi-vehicle crash snarled traffic on southbound Highway 101 between Highway 12 and downtown, while northbound a disabled car got stranded on the freeway near Todd Road, Fricke said.</p><p>Less than one hour later, two additional multi-car crashes occurred on Highway 101 in Santa Rosa and on the south side of Petaluma, the CHP said.</p><p>After weeks without rain, Fricke said, local roadways would have accumulated layers of oil, dirt and debris turned slippery by overnight rain, requiring motorists to adjust to changed conditions.</p><p>“The wet roadway is just a condition,” he said. “It's the driver's actions as a result...that causes the accident.”</p>