CHP Details Multi-Agency Rescue After Pickup Swept Into Tomki Creek

A pickup truck is swept into Tomki Creek on Tomki Road amid heavy storm runoff, triggering a coordinated water-rescue response by the California Highway Patrol, Humboldt County road crews and local fire agencies. The incident unfolded during the county’s latest period of heavy rain, with crews mobilizing to the rural roadway where runoff had overwhelmed the creek banks.

The California Highway Patrol released details Feb. 25, 2026, describing the event as a dramatic water-rescue incident on Tomki Road. CHP’s statement identified Tomki Creek as the point where the pickup became entrained in fast-moving storm runoff and confirmed that CHP units were on scene alongside county road crews and local fire agencies to manage the rescue and roadway hazards.

Humboldt County road crews joined fire agencies to secure Tomki Road and address the storm-related damage that contributed to the vehicle’s loss of traction and subsequent sweep into the creek. The presence of county road personnel indicates active work to clear debris, evaluate culverts and stabilize the roadway while fire agencies focused on immediate public safety and rescue logistics at the waterway crossing.

The incident highlights operational challenges for emergency services during heavy storms on rural arterials. Tomki Road’s crossing of Tomki Creek became a flash point for runoff during intensified precipitation, requiring multi-agency coordination by CHP, Humboldt County crews and local fire agencies to perform a water rescue and to protect responding personnel from fast-moving water and debris. The joint response underscores the need for situational awareness among drivers using low-water crossings during peak runoff events.

CHP released the preliminary details Feb. 25, 2026, and confirmed the response involved multiple agencies on Tomki Road and at Tomki Creek. Additional information about the condition of vehicle occupants or any formal incident findings was not included in the agency’s Feb. 25 release. Humboldt County road crews and local fire agencies remain key actors in assessing and repairing storm damage on affected county roads as the storm system continues to affect the region.