UPDATE (4:15 p.m.) – Caltrans reported at 4:10 p.m. that all lanes of Highway 101 near the Nojoqui Grade were back open following a deadly crash that closed two of the northbound lanes for much of the afternoon Thursday.
UPDATE (3:28 p.m.) – The two people who were killed in the crash Thursday on the Nojoqui Grade have been identified as a 48-year-old woman from Porterville and a 75-year-old man from Buellton. Their names have not yet been released.
A 65-year-old woman who was driving the Jeep was taken to the hospital major injuries. She is also from Buellton.
UPDATE (1:27 p.m.) – The California Highway Patrol says two people were killed in a two-vehicle crash on the Nojoqui Grade Thursday afternoon.
Officers say the driver of a Honda Element headed southbound somehow lost control, crossed into the northbound lanes and collided with a Jeep Cherokee.
The driver of the Honda and the passenger in the Jeep died at the scene. CHP says a dog also died in the crash.
Highway 101 had to be shut down briefly so a helicopter could land to pick up the driver of the Jeep for transport to the hospital. That person reportedly suffered major injuries.
CHP says both drivers were female. The passenger was male.
Two lanes of the highway were expected to be closed for another two hours for investigation and wreckage removal.
Fatal crash highway 101 in Santa Barbara County
Posted by KSBY on Thursday, January 31, 2019
(12:55 p.m.) – A SigAlert was issued Thursday afternoon for a fatal crash on Highway 101 at the Nojoqui Grade in Santa Barbara County.
The crash occurred in the northbound lanes shortly before 12:30 p.m.
The two right lanes of the highway were reportedly blocked.
The California Highway Patrol confirmed that at least one person had died as a result of the crash but no other details were immediately available.
KSBY News has a crew headed to the scene and will provide updates as they become available.
