UPDATE (8 p.m.) – Santa Maria CHP Officer Jude Dunbar says an initial investigation shows a Honda driving eastbound appears to have crossed over the double yellow line, hitting a westbound Toyota.
Both drivers were going 50-55 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone. They hit head-on with a combined speed of more than 100 miles per hour.
Two males were in the Toyota. A female – the Honda driver – told officers it was not a case of distracted driving and she was not on her cell phone at the time of the crash.
CHP will continue investigating the evidence and statements made during interviews with the involved parties to determine the cause of the crash.
UPDATE (7:10 p.m.) – Santa Maria CHP reports all three patients were severely injured. One of the three people was able to walk but still had serious injuries that require attention. Officers say the three have "major injuries."
UPDATE (6:50 p.m.) – Santa Barbara County Fire Public Information Officer Mike Eliason reports three people were injured. Two of the patients were critically injured and another suffered moderate injuries. Some of the patients were trapped and had to be extricated from the wreckage, Eliason said.
The injured drivers and passenger were taken to area hospitals via CALSTAR helicopter and ground ambulance.
CHP believes at least one of the drivers was traveling fast along S-curves in Brown Road near Point Sal Trail before the crash.
The Santa Maria CHP office is in charge of the investigation. The Santa Maria and Guadalupe fire departments helped with the emergency response.
Emergency crews responded Friday evening to a reported head-on crash on Brown Road near the Point Sal Trail.
It happened shortly after 5:30 p.m. about three miles west of Highway 1, southwest of Guadalupe.
The CHP Traffic incident Information Page shows a gray SUV and a gray Toyota collided with each other.
HWY 1 and Brown Road, Head on crash. Cal Star just landed. Unknown number of patients being transported. @KSBY pic.twitter.com/PpFROomciY
— Megan Abundis (@meganrabundis) May 19, 2018
Medical helicopter CALSTAR 7 landed on the roadway, blocking through traffic. Medics exited the helicopter and headed toward the crash scene in a waiting vehicle.
No other details were immediately available. This is a developing story and will be updated with new information as it becomes available.
