Logging truck driver dies after rig hits tree near Navarro Store; community rallies to get his dog home
A logging truck driver was declared dead at the scene Wednesday after his rig went off Highway 128 near the Navarro Store and struck a tree. His dog, which jumped from the wreck and ran, was later seen around the store as people tried to coax him into a vehicle so he could be taken to the driver’s family.
The crash occurred just before 2 p.m. The driver was returning from Sonoma County with his trailer stacked on top of the truck after delivering a load of logs. According to the CHP, the rig flipped, and the driver was pronounced dead at 2:28 p.m., the agency’s log shows.
A photo from the scene indicates the man worked for a contractor that typically does not haul logs but had been doing so this summer. The name of the driver and his company are being withheld pending full notification of next of kin. He is described by those who knew him as a beloved local man.
Logging truck driving remains one of the most dangerous occupations, especially when the rigs are fully loaded. Every tree carries a different weight, making loads inherently unpredictable, and the high center of gravity increases the risk on narrow, winding roads. These drivers manage heavy, shifting cargo while navigating terrain that leaves little margin for error. So give them space, don’t ride their bumper, and avoid sudden or unpredictable moves around them.
In the end, the crash was another reminder of how unforgiving these hauls can be. Logging rigs move differently than other trucks, their loads shifting with every curve, every grade, every unexpected move from the drivers around them. Out here, one mistake — or one moment of bad luck — can turn a routine return trip into a fatal scene. Giving these trucks room, respecting their limits, and keeping your own driving predictable isn’t courtesy; it’s survival on roads built long before modern trucks ever rolled through.
