Edhat Staff
Two people and one dog were killed in a traffic collision on Highway 101 near Nojoqui Grade Thursday afternoon.
Santa Barbara County Fire Department (SBCFD) crews responded to the collision at 12:28 p.m. just south Buellton.
Preliminary investigations reveal a Honda Element driven by a 48-year-old female from Porterville was traveling southbound on Highway 101 when it hydroplaned causing the vehicle to spin across the center divider and into northbound traffic, reports SBCFD Public Information Officer Mike Eliason.
A Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling northbound with a 65-year-old female driver from Buellton, a 75-year-old male passenger from Buellton, and their dog, broadsided the Honda. The female driver of the Honda, the male passenger of the Jeep, and the dog were killed on impact.
The female driver of the Jeep was trapped in the vehicle. Firefighters used the Jaws of Life and after 10 minutes she was extricated and flown to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital via CalStar 7 with critical injuries, said Eliason.
The number 2 and 3 northbound lanes of Highway 101 are closed and will remain closed for approximately two hours. California Highway Patrol is investigating this incident.
At 12:25 CHP and County 911 received a report of an accident, involving at least two vehicles, in the NB lanes of 101, half a mile north of the Hwy 1 interchange, shutting down the #2 and 3 lanes. Emergency personnel arrived to discover two fatally injured people and one in serious condition, Red Tag, who will be evacuated by air.
