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One person was killed and three others seriously injured when a drowsy driver hit another vehicle on Highway 46 near Paso Robles.

Fatal highway crash: One person was killed and three others hospitalized Sunday night when a drowsy driver turned into oncoming traffic and crashed into another vehicle on Highway 46 in Shandon, about 15 miles east of Paso Robles.

•   A drowsy driver in an SUV made an unsafe turn, crossing a center line on a two-lane highway. He crashed head-on into an oncoming car.

•   The driver in the car was killed on impact. His passenger was hospitalized with serious injuries.

•   The SUV driver and his passenger also were hospitalized with serious injuries. 

The deadly car accident occurred 10 minutes before midnight, according to a report in the San Luis Obispo Tribune.

The California Highway Patrol said 32-year-old Marysville resident Eric Wellington was driving a 2002 Ford Expedition sports utility vehicle eastbound on Highway 46 at the time of the crash.

Wellington turned into oncoming traffic at McMillan Avenue and crashed head-on into a westbound 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by 50-year-old Cirigo Arias of Kettleman City.

The violent impact to the left front side of the Grand Prix killed Arias instantly. The front wheel of the car was knocked off and the car spun out, finally stopping on the shoulder on the westbound side of the highway.

Meanwhile, the collision caused Wellington’s SUV to roll over, blocking both lanes of the highway.

Arias was pronounced dead at the scene. His passenger, 31-year-old Everado Martinez, suffered serious injuries. She was hospitalized at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, according to a KEYT News report.

Wellington and his passenger, 27-year-old Rosalie Wellington, also suffered serious injuries. They also were taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center to be treated.

The CHP said driver fatigue (Wellington) was a major factor in the accident. Alcohol and drugs did not appear to be involved.

Paso Robles Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A drowsy driver crossed into oncoming traffic in rural Aptos and crashed head-on into another vehicle, trapping the injured driver inside.

A 46-year-old Watsonville man was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries Monday after a drowsy driver crashed head-on into his pickup truck on Freedom Boulevard in Aptos, about 10 miles east of Santa Cruz.

•  A drowsy driver nodded off and veered across a double yellow line into oncoming traffic.

•   His vehicle crashed head-on into a pickup truck, trapping the driver inside.

•   Firefighters had to extricate the victim, who was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries. His 16-year-old son, who was riding in the passenger seat, also was hospitalized with serious injuries.

•   Drugs and alcohol were not involved in the accident, according to the CHP.

The accident occurred at about 5:10 p.m., according to a report in the San Jose Mercury News.

California Highway Patrol officer Sarah Jackson said a 29-year-old Aptos man was driving a Chevy 1500 pickup truck westbound on Freedom Boulevard when he fell asleep at the wheel and crossed the double yellow line into the oncoming traffic lane.

The Chevy truck crashed head-on into an eastbound  Toyota Tundra pickup truck driven by the Watsonville man, whose 16-year-old son was riding in the passenger sear.

The violent impact pinned the driver into the Tundra truck. Firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to extricate him from the vehicle. Paramedics airlifted the victim by helicopter to San Jose Regional Medical Center. His son, who also was seriously injured, was transported by ground ambulance to Watsonville Community Hospital.

The driver of the other truck sustained minor injuries and was treated and released at the scene.

Alcohol and drugs were not factors in the accident, Officer Jackson said.

Drowsy Driver Accident Statistics

Every year 37,000 people are injured — and almost 1,000 are killed — in accidents caused by drowsy drivers, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Admnistration (NHTSA).

Drowsy driving is a major safety hazard, especially because it is so common:

•   62% of surveyed American adults (72% of men and 54% of women) reported driving while feeling drowsy.

•   37% of surveyed American adults (49% of men and 26% of women) said they have dozed off while driving at least once.

•   27% of surveyed American adults (36% of men and 20% of women) said they have dozed off while driving in the past year.

Santa Cruz Car Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented car accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.

A truck driver died when his gas tanker overturned on Highway 101 near Buellton. (Photo: Lompoc Record)

Fatal truck accident: A 35-year-old truck driver who may have fallen asleep at the wheel was killed Saturday when his gasoline tanker overturned and caught fire on Highway 101 near Buellton.

•   Near the end of his shift, a truck driver lost control of a gas tanker.

•   The tanker overturned, skidded 100 feet, and caught fire.

•   The driver died at the scene.

The deadly highway crash occurred at about 3:45 a.m., according to a report in the Lompoc Record.

California Highway Patrol officer Danny Maher said the truck was hauling 8,500 gallons of gasoline for DanDee Transportation. Authorities believe the driver was either drowsy or fell asleep at the wheel, Maher said. He was from Santa Maria, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune, but his name was withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The truck was traveling northbound on Highway 101 en route to Atascadero, and was scheduled to stop in Santa Maria to change drivers, according to the CHP report. The driver called his relief driver from a cellphone at 3:36 a.m. and said they could meet at about 4:30 a.m. to make the switch.

Less than 10 minutes after that call — and just 30 miles south of Santa Maria — the tired driver somehow lost control of his rig near Jonata Park Road. The gas tanker drifted into the center divider and the driver overcorrected to try to regain control, Maher said.

The big-rig overturned, skidded about 100 feet, and burst into flames. Santa Barbara County fire captain Brad Lane told the Lompoc Record the truck was already fully engulfed when firefighters arrived, so they were not able to get into the cab. The heat and flames essentially liquidated the trailer, Lane said.

The truck driver died inside the rig. No other vehicles were involved and there were no other injuries or fatalities.

Fire crews from Santa Barbara and Vandenberg responded to the scene. One of the Vandernberg trucks brought 800 gallons of foam to fight the blaze.

The fire spread to some nearby brush and started a small fire there, but it was quickly extinguished. The fuel burned up inside the tank and did not spill onto the road, Maher said.

Officials closed the highway in both directions for several hours. Southbound lanes reopened just after 9 a.m. Saturday. Northbound lanes reopened around 2 p.m.

Drowsy Driver Statistics

Every year 37,000 people are injured — and almost 1,000 are killed — in accidents caused by drowsy drivers, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Admnistration (NHTSA).

Drowsy driving is a major safety hazard, especially because it is so common:

• 62 percent of surveyed American adults (72 percent of men and 54 percent of women) reported driving while feeling drowsy.
• 37 percent of surveyed American adults (49 percent of men and 26 percent of women) said they had dozed off while driving at least once.
• 27 percent of surveyed American adults (36 percent of men and 20 percent of women) said they had dozed off while driving in the past year.

Buellton Truck Accident Lawyers

The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented truck accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.