A head-on collision on Highway 246 east of Lompoc Thursday afternoon left a teenager dead and a 62-year-old woman critically injured, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The accident occurred at about 1:30 p.m. when a Honda Civic traveling east on Highway 246 drifted across the solid double yellow lines for unknown reasons and slammed into a westbound Chevy Malibu, CHP Officer John Ortega said.
The driver of the Civic, identified as Skyler Kindschy, 17, of Lompoc, was declared dead at the scene, Ortega said.
The Malibu driver, Jocelyn Presson of Lompoc, was trapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated by firefighters, according to Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. David Sadecki.
She was airlifted by helicopter to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with critical injuries, Ortega said.
“Alcohol and/or drug impairment does not appear to be a factor in this collision and both parties were properly restrained,” Ortega said.
The accident blocked off Highway 246 and the roadway was closed for more than an hour, but was subsequently reopened.
— Noozhawk news editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.