UPDATE (11 a.m.) - Caltrans says the highway is expected to reopen around 1 p.m. Friday.
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ORIGINAL STORY: A man is dead after a pickup truck and semi crashed on Highway 101 southbound near Gaviota Friday morning, closing part of the highway.
It happened just before 3 a.m. The man in the pickup truck was killed as a result of the crash. The semi driver had minor injuries and refused to be transported to a hospital.
The pickup truck ended up in the median and was on fire when officials arrived on-scene. Video shows firefighters putting out the fire. The semi ended up overturned on the 101 with oil and debris scattered on the road.
Pickup Truck vs Semi Truck: HWY 101 SB, Just North/Dos Pueblos, Gaviota Coast. Pickup truck(Caught fire)-male driver pronounced deceased at the scene. Semi truck- male driver w/minor injuries refused transport to ER. SB HWY shut down see CHP for cause and reopening. CT 2:50am pic.twitter.com/nJEi4yDWkc
— Scott Safechuck (@SBCFireInfo) January 5, 2024
KSBY reached out to CHP, but they have not confirmed a cause of the incident.
CHP is closing Highway 101 southbound at Highway 1 south of Buellton and diverting traffic onto the 154. CHP does not have an estimated time of reopening for the 101.
