Petaluma women escape major injury after crash sends car down embankment

<p>Two Petaluma women apparently escaped major injury despite rolling 75 feet down an embankment after their car was struck on Highway 101 south of Cotati on Friday afternoon, authorities said.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Firefighters rigged a rope system to raise the driver back up the embankment on an immobilizing backboard as a precaution, however, Rancho Adobe Fire personnel said.</p><p>Carolee Jo Waters, 42, complained of neck and back pain and was treated as if she had spinal injuries, though it ultimately appeared she had only minor wounds, Rancho Adobe Fire Capt. Larry Martinez said.</p><p>“She was alert, conscious and talking, and just mentioned that she had some neck and back pain,” he said.</p><p>Waters later was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, the CHP said. Her condition was not available Saturday.</p><p>Waters and her passenger, Roberta Ann Arvilla, 48, were in southbound traffic south of Railroad Avenue around 4 p.m. when another driver, Santa Rosa resident Elliott Easom, 18, lost control of his Honda Civic while trying to change lanes with slowing traffic ahead, the CHP said.</p><p>Easom struck Waters' 2003 Mitsubishi, catapulting it down the embankment, where it rolled twice before landing on its wheels.</p><p>Waters was not seatbelted but somehow remained in the car, officials said.</p><p>Arvilla suffered only minor injuries, authorities said.</p><p>Easom was uninjured, they said.</p>