Many South Lake County residents and commuters were left stranded for nearly an hour Tuesday evening. Just as 4:30 rolled around, a serious car accident just past La Mexia Mexican restaurant in Middletown left hundreds of commuters stranded. A few nearby residents came out to help direct the flow of traffic.
At about 5:22 PM the highway 29 resumed regular operation in both lanes however traffic had already backed up hundreds of yards in all directions. After the cars were cleared, it took nearly 20 minutes to return to normal operations.
The normally deserted Saint Helena creek road, a one-way stretch on the outskirts of town, became the primary route for those blocked in by traffic.
No agency has put out any statement on the incident however bystanders reported that the accident happened between a vehicle exiting the parking lot of La Mixte-ca, the new Mexican restaurant, and another auto vehicle heading down Highway 29 in the north bound lane.
Despite the best efforts of local residents, the intersection of Highway 29 and Wardlaw Street quickly backed up with even sheriff's department vehicles struggling to get through. Thankfully, nobody was seriously injured and after about an hour, the road was cleared and traffic resumed to normal levels.
This incident serves as yet another case of the seemingly daily accidents that plague Lake County highways and what can happen when a vital roadway is forced to suspend operation.
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