Kids involved in Ignacio crash on the 101; two killed, three injured

Marinscope

The towns of Novato and San Rafael reeled in the wake of news that a crash of a car full of kids on Dec. 29 left a 16-year-old boy from San Rafael and a 17-year-old girl from Novato dead. Three other passengers were injured in the crash that took place just before midnight on the 101 at the Ignacio exit.

The dead were identified as Jameson Zamlich, a Terra Linda High School junior and a member of the school’s varsity basketball team, and Danielle Elizabeth Leaf of Novato. 

In Go-Fund-Me pages, Leaf was described as the “wittiest, smartest, big living human” who made “friends wherever she went and loved and protected her people fiercely.” The page added that “Danielle’s mom is a single parent “dealt an unfairly difficult hand these past few years leaving Cindy a single parent unable to work with extreme health complications.”

Zamlich was on Terra Linda’s varsity basketball team and the team dedicated the first game following the crash to Zamlich. 

“As our Trojan family enters 2023, we are grieving the loss of junior Jameson Zamlich, who was a member of the boys varsity basketball team,” wrote the team in a Facebook post. “At a time when our hearts are heavy, sports can be a blanket of comfort and healing. Let us support each other through this difficult time by lending an ear, giving hugs, and cheering for our athletes.”

The team’s post  also identified one of the teens who was injured in Jameson’s car as Thomas Middleton, a senior and fellow athlete.

No update on Middleton’s condition, or the two other survivors, was available at Marinscope’s deadline. 

Here is the press release from the Marin County Sheriff on the crash:

Preliminary investigation completed by investigators is as follows:

A 2008 Honda Civic being operated by the16-year-old, containing four passengers traveling northbound on Highway 101 at highway speeds in inclement weather, for reasons unknown and remain under investigation, lost control of his vehicle, collided with the cement center divider, immediately flipped / rolling over the highway barrier and came to rest within the southbound side of the highway.  As a result of the collision, the driver incurred significant traumatic injuries incompatible with life and died at the scene.  Additionally, a 17-year-old girl in the rear seat also incurred multiple injuries incompatible with life and her death was pronounced at the scene.  Three other minor aged occupants of the vehicle, who were injured in the collision were provided with medical aid at the scene by First Responders and transported to area hospitals for treatment of their injuries.  

The decedent’s have been positively identified (but) due to the subject’s being of minor age and out of respect to their families, their names are not being published at this time.

Forensic postmortem examinations with toxicology testing are being completed later this morning.  The cause and manner of death will be pending the conclusion of the investigations being completed by the California Highway Patrol – Marin Office and the Marin County Sheriff’s Office – Coroner Division.  

The California Highway Patrol, Marin division, reported that “two of the passengers, who sustained major injuries, were not believed to be wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash. Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the collision at this time.”

Heavy rains present at the time may have been a factor. 

As a young driver of 16, the driver would have had a provisional driver’s license which means that for the first year of driving he is prohibited from driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. and from carrying passengers younger than 20, unless accompanied by an adult 25 or older.