Point Reyes Light - October 25, 2002

Stinson worker dies in Mount Tam crash

By Andrea Blum

An employee of seven years at Stinson Beach’s Parkside Cafe, Carlos Diaz, 36, of San Rafael died Monday after his truck veered off Panoramic Highway and rolled down a cliff area a mile west of Pan Toll Station near the top of Mount Tamalpais.

The passenger, Julio Lopez, 35, another Parkside Cafe employee, suffered injuries to his hip, shoulder, and head. Lopez was airlifted to Jonh Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek and released on Wednesday.

For reasons unknown, the vehicle plunged 200-feet into a deep ravine adjacent to the eastbound lane. The area where the truck began its descent has a small shoulder extending merely three-to-five feet from the edge of the asphalt and features no guardrail.

No skid marks

"There were no skid marks; it was a very gentle curve," said CHP officer Jim Bonano referring to the spot where the truck went over the cliff. "[Diaz’s truck] didn’t follow the curve but went straight."

The two restaurant workers were headed towards San Rafael after leaving work at approximately 3:30 p.m. The California Highway Patrol responded to the call from Stinson Beach Volunteer Fire Department at 3:57 p.m.

Passenger Lopez, bleeding as a result of lacerations to the head, was able to climb up from the ravine to flag down a passing motorcycle before he collapsed by the side of the road CHP officials reported.

The Fire Department arrived at the scene and found Diaz ejected from the vehicle, having sustained fatal injuries. Lopez was brought to Stinson Beach and airlifted to the hospital. Panoramic Highway remained closed for most of the night.

Cause unclear

The cause of the accident is still under investigation. No other vehicles were involved. Blood tests will reveal whether alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash CHP officials said.

"If you knew him, you loved him. He was a gift to all of us," said Stinson Beach resident and photographer Clint Graves, who was also a friend of Diaz.

The mood was somber Tuesday morning in the small beach community, especially at the Parkside Cafe.

"[Diaz] was a straight shooter, he wasn’t a speed demon," the restaurant’s owner, John Gilbert said, referring to Diaz’s personality and driving record. "He and his wife just had a baby two months ago."

Makeshift memorial

Early Tuesday morning Gilbert’s wife, Maxine gathered flowers to take to the crash site and create a roadside memorial. She told The Light that she and her daughter were on their way back to Stinson Beach Monday evening from Mill Valley when they were caught in the traffic from the closure of Panoramic Highway. Gilbert said her twelve-year-old daughter turned to her and said, "Oh mommy, what are the chances it’s someone we know?"

A memorial fund has been set up for wife, Ortencia DeLeon Diaz and son, Eric Julian DeLeon Diaz at Bank of Marin in Corte Madera, account number 00136209.

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