One person is dead and another hospitalized after a sedan hit a semi-truck head-on on the Cuesta Grade on Highway 101 Monday morning, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Toby Adrianse.
“There was quite a bit of damage just from the collision, and once the fire started it was a pretty messy scene,” Adrianse said.
The driver of the semi-truck, Jose Hernandez Estrada from Santa Maria, was able to exit his vehicle before suffering any major injuries. He was rushed to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and treated for minor injuries, Adrianse said.
Estrada is in fair and stable condition, Sierra Vista Associate Administrator Director Ron Yukelson said. He was still at Sierra Vista at time of press.
The Sebring driver received fatal injuries after their vehicle was “well under the front end of the big rig,” Adrianse said.
The coroner has identified the body but is not releasing the name since the dental record analysis is still pending.
The CHP as well as the San Luis Obispo Fire Department responded to the call, but did not return the Mustang Daily’s call at time of press.
Adrianse said when he arrived at the scene 30 minutes after the crash, the fire was already put out and Estrada had already been transported to the hospital.
Because of the severity of the crash, the three Highway 101 northbound lanes were closed starting at Monterey Street while investigators assessed the scene. Traffic was redirected to Highway 1 toward Morro Bay and Highway 41.
The northbound fast lane was reopened at 11:34 p.m. to through traffic. The other two lanes remained closed with the vehicles unmoved as investigators worked. All lanes were open again by 1:52 p.m, Adrianse said.
It was also unknown if drugs or alcohol played a role by time of press, and although the semi-truck was carrying automotive products in the truck trailer, Adrianse said it does not appear this played a role in the collision or the aftermath.
This was the first accident at this specific location on the Cuesta Grade this year. Since 2007, there has been one accident per year. This accident was the only fatal one, Adrianse said.
Erik Vukcevich is a local mountain biker who drives up the grade often to bike in the West Cuesta Ridge area.
Vukcevich said he makes a left turn where the sedan crossed over into the southbound lanes to park before he rides. He said it is dangerous at times because it isn’t possible to see around the corner while making the left, and “it is one of the steepest roads in the area.”
Since semi-trucks don’t reach the same speeds as smaller cars, he said he usually isn’t worried when driving by them up the grade and was surprised to hear about the accident.
“I think the crash is a tragedy, but I’ve never heard it happen before,” Vukcevich said. “I think that left turn needs to be there. I hope they don’t wall it off so you have to go to the next road and turn around.”