UPDATE (6:21 p.m.): The California Highway Patrol says around 3:35 a.m. Sunday, a 39-year-old male from Solvang was driving westbound on SR-246 at a high rate of speed when he crashed head-on into a 79-year-old woman from Lompoc driving in the eastbound lane.
Both were pronounced dead on the scene.
The male driver was driving a 2004 Honda and the female was driving a 2009 Toyota.
At this time, it is unknown why the male driver crossed into eastbound lanes, but officers believe drugs and alcohol may be a factor in the crash. A toxicology report has not yet been released.
The roadway was closed for close to three hours and 45 minutes.
This is an on-going investigation. The names of both the man and the woman have not been released.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A head-on collision early Sunday morning leaves two people dead near Buellton.
The vehicles collided on Highway 246 at Domingos Road at approximately 3:30 a.m., according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
When firefighters arrived on the scene west of Buellton, they say they found one car in the roadway, the other had gone over the side and down the embankment.
After an extensive search, PIO Daniel Bertucelli says the two victims were found. One person was found dead in each vehicle. No other victims were located.
The highway was closed for several hours after the crash but has since re-opened.
The names of the victims have not been released. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
