Rescue personnel at the collision scene on Thursday evening. Photo by John Jensen.

LUCERNE – Highway 20 was closed for four hours Thursday night as officials investigated a vehicle collision that killed two people and injured a third.

The California Highway Patrol incident logs noted that the head-on collision was reported shortly before 6 p.m. It occurred between Nice and Lucerne, about 300 yards east of Ceago Vinegarden.

The California Highway Patrol officers, firefighters from Northshore Fire Protection District and Lake County Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene.

CHP had the highway closed while officers conducted what a sheriff's deputy called a “crime scene” – rather than an accident – investigation.

Northshore Fire Protection District officials began turning back traffic traveling from Lucerne to Nice at Lucerne's west end, where Foothill Drive joins the highway, with traffic blocked coming from the other direction just west of the accident scene.

Later, cement barricades were erected west of Harbor Park in Lucerne so that no vehicles could pass through. Many drivers turned their vehicles around to drive around the lake in the opposite direction.

Shortly before 9 p.m., Northshore Fire Chief Jim Robbins said the CHP was still working on its investigation.

“We had two fatalities and one very minor injury,” said Robbins.

“I can't really discuss any more than that,” Robbins added.

At 9:40 p.m., the park was filled with vehicles and people waiting for the road to reopen. About that time, a Caltrans truck arrived to remove the barricades in order to reopen the highway.

The highway reopened just after 10 p.m., according to the CHP incident logs.

No official statement CHP report has yet been released on the incident.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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A closeup of one of the three vehicles involved. Photo by John Jensen.