On Saturday, June 3, 2023, CHP Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash which resulted in two fatalities and four injured parties.
On June 3, 2023, at approximately 9:25 pm, Phil Placzek was traveling southbound on SR-3 south of Forest Mountain Summit in a Ford F-250 pickup. Erika Cavener-Hansen was traveling northbound on SR-3 in a Honda Pilot approaching from the opposite direction, during hours of darkness. As Phil Placzek traveled southbound, downhill, through a sweeping curve in the roadway, they allowed the Ford to drift to the right, where the Ford’s right side tires traveled off the paved roadway onto the dirt/gravel shoulder. Phil steered the Ford sharply back to the left and lost control. The Ford spun out of control, across the roadway centerline and entered the northbound lane where the front of the Honda collided with the right side of the Ford. Phil Placzek and passenger Stephanie Johnson both sustained fatal injuries and were declared deceased at the scene.
