John Bauer of Grass Valley died shortly after his Toyota pickup was struck by a teen driving from 70 to 80 mph on La Barr Meadows Road Monday morning. (Photo by John Hart)

A Grass Valley man died when a 1999 Ford F250 pickup driven at high speed by a 16-year-old boy smashed into his 1989 Toyota pickup at 10 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

John Bauer, 53, was alive and somewhat alert when emergency personnel arrived, said Fire Capt. Jerry Funk of Nevada County Consolidated Fire District. Bauer's condition deteriorated rapidly, and CPR was given continuously as Bauer was rushed to Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital by ambulance, Funk said.

Bauer was pronounced dead in the emergency room, a nursing supervisor said.

The juvenile, also from Grass Valley, was taken to Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital with minor injuries and was picked up by his parents, said Officer Troy Marks of the California Highway Patrol. The accident is under investigation and alcohol is not a factor, he said.

The juvenile drove about 70 to 80 mph across a double-yellow line going south on La Barr Meadows Road, away from Dog Bar Road, and tried to pass a white van, Marks said. The juvenile saw traffic coming at him in the northbound lane and swerved to his right, losing control of his truck, Marks continued.

The juvenile overcorrected as he neared the shoulder, drove back into the northbound lane, and smashed into the driver's side of Bauer's Toyota, Marks said. Both pickups had major damage, he said.

Both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident, Marks added.

Nevada County sheriff's deputies rerouted traffic around the accident and the road was blocked for about 90 minutes, said Funk. A Calstar helicopter was dispatched, but once CPR was begun and a land ambulance was transporting Bauer, it was recalled, he said.

CHP checkpoint nabs two

Two out of three drunken drivers arrested by the California Highway Patrol over the Memorial Day weekend, as of 6 p.m. Monday, were stopped at a CHP sobriety checkpoint, Officer Troy Marks said.

CHP considers the holiday weekend to last from 6 p.m. Friday until 12 a.m. Tuesday, he said. Last year, there were no fatalities and two drunk drivers were arrested, he added.

The checkpoint's location varies, and this year it was on Nevada City Highway west of Brunswick Road.

The weekend was marred by a 10 a.m. fatal wreck Monday on La Barr Meadows Road, Marks said. A 16-year-old Grass Valley juvenile smashed his Ford pickup into a Toyota pickup and killed John Bauer, 53, of Grass Valley, he said.

Alcohol was not a factor in the accident, Marks added.

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