Tragedy in Santa Maria:
Two separate accidents over the weekend in the Santa Maria area resulted in two fatalities, several injuries, and road closures. The first accident occurred on Saturday at 11:09 p.m. on SR-166, west of Hanson Way, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
A 21-year-old man, whose identity has not been revealed, was driving a Nissan Kick eastbound on Main Street/Hwy. 166. Witnesses had previously seen him overtaking vehicles over double yellow lines, which led to a three-car collision, injuring several people, including an infant.
According to the CHP report, a 2016 Dodge Journey was traveling westbound on the same highway, possibly waiting to turn in the left turn lane. The driver of the Nissan Kick, attempting to overtake a 2008 Nissan Frontier, used the left turn lane and collided with the Dodge Journey, pushing it into the Nissan Frontier.
The driver of the Nissan Kick died at the scene. Witnesses reported that after the crash, the adult male driver of the Dodge Journey, whose identity has not been revealed, handed his infant child to a bystander and left the scene.
Eribertha Martinez-Amado, a passenger in the Dodge Journey and the infant’s mother, was questioned by the CHP, but no further details about the driver were available. Hwy. 166 was closed for several hours following the crash, with Caltrans assisting with traffic management. Alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the fatal collision.
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