NORTH COAST, Calif. – A young Kelseyville woman was in a vehicle crash on Highway 101 on Monday in an area where traffic had been slowed in the wake of a grass fire.

Elena Goss, 19, was driving one of the two vehicles involved in the rear-end crash on southbound Highway 101 south of Calpella in Mendocino County, according to the Ukiah Area office of the California Highway Patrol.

At about 3 p.m. that day there was a grass fire on the west shoulder of Highway 101 in that area, with Cal Fire responding to put the fire out and the CHP providing traffic control, according to the report.

The CHP said traffic was reduced to one lane for approximately 30 minutes, causing traffic to back up, before the fire was put out and the CHP opened up all lanes of traffic.

At approximately 3:48 p.m., traffic was still slow in the area, the CHP said.

Justin O’Neal, 27, of Redwood Valley was driving his 2001 Toyota Tacoma southbound and had come to a stop behind traffic, south of the Calpella exit, according to the CHP. O’Neal turned on his emergency flashing lights to warn traffic behind him.

Goss was driving her 2009 Ford Focus southbound south of the Calpella exit. The CHP said she looked down to change the music on her phone while driving. When she looked up, she saw traffic had come to a stop ahead of her.

The CHP said Goss applied the brakes and began sliding. The Focus then hit the rear of the Tacoma.

The Tacoma overturned into the median and the Focus came to a stop in the No. 2 lane, blocking traffic, the CHP said.

Multiple bystanders stopped to help the crash victims. The CHP said Goss, Justin O’Neal and his passenger, John O’Neal, also of Redwood Valley, were all taken to Ukiah Valley Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.

The CHP said all three were wearing their seat belts.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.