Three women identified as victims in fatal Napa County DUI collision on Silverado Trail

Three women were killed in a head-on crash on Silverado Trail after a Vallejo man allegedly drove under the influence of drugs in Napa County.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 9:40 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from East Bay Times

Tragic Multi Vehicle Collision Claims Three Lives in North Bay

Investigators with the Napa County Sheriff’s Office have officially identified the three women killed during a high speed head-on collision this past Saturday. The victims include American Canyon residents Vivian Bertolino, 65, and Linda Wolters, 62, along with 65-year-old Katrina Clarke of Sacramento. The fatal encounter occurred on a busy stretch of the Silverado Trail between Oak Knoll Avenue and Yountville Cross Road, a region known for its high volume of winery related tourism. According to the California Highway Patrol, the impact was severe enough to result in immediate fatalities and several critical injuries among the surviving passengers.

Suspected Drug Impairment Leads to Fatal Lane Deviation

The primary suspect in the case, 68-year-old Vallejo resident William Dene Brumley, is currently being held on $500,000 bail while receiving medical treatment for his own injuries. Preliminary reports from the California Highway Patrol suggest that Brumley was driving south in a Mitsubishi sedan when he crossed over the center line into opposing traffic. The vehicle first clipped a northbound BMW SUV before crashing head-on into a Toyota sedan. Brumley faces grave legal consequences, having been arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, though formal charges from the District Attorney's office are still pending.

Details of the Impact and Emergency Hospitalization Efforts

The logistics of the crash involved three separate vehicles and varying degrees of injury. One of the passengers in Brumley’s vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, while the second died shortly after arriving at Queen of the Valley hospital. In the Toyota sedan, Katrina Clarke succumbed to her injuries at Kaiser Vacaville, where the driver and two other occupants are currently fighting for their lives. Conversely, the occupants of the BMW SUV involved in the initial collision were treated at the scene for minor injuries and did not require long term hospitalization.