A former Northern California county department head died in a severe head-on traffic collision on Friday morning, just one day after abruptly stepping down from his local government leadership role. Lars Ewing, who had served as the Public Works Director for Lake County, was involved in the fatal two-vehicle wreck along a rural highway in neighboring Colusa County.
According to accident reports from the California Highway Patrol, the fatal incident occurred at approximately 8:00 a.m. along Highway 20. The collision took place just east of Lone Star Road, situated in the rural corridor between the cities of Williams and Colusa, where Ewing's passenger vehicle crossed paths with an oncoming commercial transport truck.
Investigative findings from the highway patrol indicate that Ewing had been driving westbound in a 1995 Honda. For reasons that investigators have not yet determined, his passenger car veered across the center dividing line and entered directly into the eastbound lane, placing the vehicle in the immediate trajectory of a 2024 International semi-truck traveling in the opposite direction.
The impact between the two vehicles resulted in a severe collision that left both the Honda and the semi-truck resting directly in the middle of the roadway, where both quickly caught fire. Emergency responders arriving at the scene confirmed that the 49-year-old Lakeport resident died from his injuries.
The driver of the commercial semi-truck, identified as a 42-year-old man from Yuba City, sustained moderate physical injuries during the crash and was transported to an area hospital for medical evaluation and care. Official reports from the California Highway Patrol noted that both motorists were properly restrained by seat belts at the time the collision occurred.
The collision and subsequent blaze prompted a widespread emergency response that disrupted travel across the region for much of the day. The California Department of Transportation reported that between 120 and 150 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the highway as a result of the crash, necessitating an extensive cleanup effort alongside vehicle removal and crash investigation procedures before the roadway was reopened shortly before 4:00 p.m.
The tragedy took place roughly twenty-four hours after Ewing formally tendered his resignation from Lake County administration. On Thursday, local officials announced that Ewing had submitted his departure from county government, ending his tenure overseeing the county's public works operations shortly after being named to the permanent director role earlier in the year.
In a concise official announcement released on Thursday, Lake County administrators stated that Ewing had chosen to voluntarily resign from his post with immediate effect. The public notification provided no background or stated rationale regarding his decision to leave his position leading the department, leaving the post unexpectedly vacant.
The California Highway Patrol’s collision investigation remains active as authorities work to piece together the events leading up to the crash. Law enforcement officials have stated that the specific factors that caused Ewing's vehicle to leave its lane of travel remain undetermined, and authorities have indicated there is no evidence linking his employment departure to the collision.
Ewing possessed deep personal roots in the region, having been born and raised in Lakeport. He completed his secondary education at Clear Lake High School, graduating with the class of 1995 before pursuing a career path centered on military service and civil engineering.
He attended the United States Air Force Academy, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering in 2002. Ewing then served on active duty for five years as an Air Force civil engineering officer, ultimately attaining the rank of captain before transitioning out of the military into the private sector.
Following his military service, Ewing spent time working within private-sector engineering firms to build technical experience in infrastructure design and project oversight. He attained formal state licensure as a professional civil engineer in California in 2008, preparing him for a subsequent return to public service in his home community.
Ewing reentered Lake County local government in 2010, initially stepping into public administration as an assistant Public Works director. Over the course of the following decade, he advanced through the municipal ranks, earning an appointment to serve as the director of the Lake County Public Services Department in 2016.
His leadership footprint expanded significantly in 2025 when county leaders appointed him to manage the Public Works Department on an interim basis after the prior director was terminated. The county subsequently moved to consolidate its Public Works and Public Services divisions into a single unified department, and the Board of Supervisors formally selected Ewing to serve as the permanent director of the newly combined department in April.
Throughout his extended tenure in county leadership, Ewing was responsible for managing a wide range of municipal functions, including ongoing roadway maintenance, regional transportation planning, airport operations, landfill oversight, and local park facilities.
Ewing is survived by his wife and five children.
Following his sudden passing and previous resignation, county officials are moving forward to stabilize municipal operations. The Lake County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, September 15, which features a closed-session item to discuss and consider the appointment of an interim Public Works director to lead the department.
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