Advertisement CHP identifies officer involved in crash that killed Willows teen Teen identified as Weston Sites, of Willows Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The California Highway Patrol has identified the officer involved in a crash that killed a 15-year-old Willows boy on Interstate 5 earlier this week.MORE: Teen remembered at candlelight vigilOfficer Jim Gamble, 49, was driving his patrol vehicle just before 3:30 p.m. north on I-5 coming up to a construction zone, south of the County Road 20 over-crossing in Orland, the CHP said.Traffic was slowed south of the construction zone, and the officer became distracted and was unable to stop in time to avoid vehicles in front of him, according to the CHP."(The officer's) attention was diverted away from the road, looking down at, I believe, his computer," CHP Sgt. Tony Odell said. "When he looked up, traffic was slowing and coming to a stop. (He) applied his brakes and rear-ended the vehicle that was in front of him, which subsequently got pushed into two other vehicles that were stopped."Gamble hit a 2013 Hyundai, which was being driven by a 17-year-old girl from Willows. Weston Sites, 15, was sitting in the back seat of the vehicle. The driver's 14-year-old sister was also a passenger in the car.Sites was a student at Willows High School and was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday, according to the Glenn County Sheriff's Office.Both sisters suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital, but were later released.Two other vehicles were also involved in the crash."The CHP extends our deepest condolences to the family of the teenager who was killed in this collision, and our wishes for a smooth recovery for those injured," the CHP said, in a released statement.Gamble, who is a 20-year veteran of the department, suffered minor injuries.In spite of the agency’s statement at the scene of the crash, CHP said Wednesday that the accident remains under investigation. Distracted driving is one possible cause, said Assistant Chief Todd Garr.“That may have been a component in this investigation, but there may have been others,” Garr said. “We don’t want to be premature in saying this was the cause of the accident.”But, if the investigation finds the officer at fault, the findings will be forwarded to the Glenn County District Attorney’s office for possible charges, Garr said.The crash closed northbound I-5 for about six hours.A separate investigation team is looking into the crash, including determining Gamble's actions leading up to and at the time of the crash. He is still on active duty, the CHP said.No additional details were given.