Big rig, two cars collide in front of Ernie’s Tin Bar on Lakeville Highway

A big rig and two cars collided on Lakeville Highway early Tuesday afternoon, across from Ernie’s Tin Bar.

The collision occurred about 12:45 p.m. in front of the iconic old bar, said owner Ernie Altenreuther.

“Not into the bar, a building across the street,” Altenreuther said. “The old fallen-down barn across the street. Now there is a big rig on top of it.”

The bar owner saw some of the crash, describing how one driver in a car pulled out in front of an approaching big rig. They collided and then a second car became involved.

The extent of injuries wasn’t clear, Altenreuther said, but hoped they weren’t serious.

Lakeville Highway, an undivided, two-lane rural route is heavily used and every year multiple fatal crashes occur along the stretch between Highway 37 and the city of Petaluma.

“It’s not as bad as some of the ones we’ve had,” Altenreuther said.

The CHP, Lakeville volunteer firefighters and Petaluma fire were responding. Scant initial information was available but an ambulance also had been called, according to the CHP.