Quincy woman suffers major head injuries following ejection in single-vehicle incident

Molly Baker, 35, of Quincy received major head injuries this morning, March 21, following a single-vehicle incident. According to a report from the California Highway Patrol, at approximately 6:50 a.m., Baker was driving a white, 1998 Ford Ranger eastbound on Highway 70, west of Squirrel Creek Road. She was driving at a speed of approximately 45 to 55 mph through an icy left curve in the road.

According to the CHP, due to the speed through the curve, the Ranger’s tires lost traction with the roadway surface. As a result, the Ranger slid north out of the eastbound lane, across the westbound lane, and collided with an icy snow berm bordering the north asphalt shoulder. The Ranger continued north through the icy berm and up an ascending dirt/rock embankment, where it began to overturn onto its right side.

The Ranger rolled back down the embankment toward Highway 70, where Baker, who was not wearing her seatbelt, was fully ejected out of the shattered driver’s door window onto the north asphalt shoulder, resulting in major injuries to her head.  The Ranger came to rest on its right side completely blocking the westbound lane.