Santa Ana Woman Dies in Crash on Highway 101

CHP says the driver wasn't wearing her seat belt properly and was partially ejected; her 12-year-old daughter suffers a minor injury

By Michelle Nelson, Noozhawk Staff Writer | Published on 06.23.2009

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A Santa Ana woman died and her 12-year-old daughter was taken to a hospital Tuesday morning after a traffic collision on Highway 101 near Refugio Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Police say the woman was traveling northbound on Highway 101 shortly before 9 a.m. when she drifted off the roadway, lost control of her Toyota and overcorrected. The vehicle overturned across the center median and came to rest on its wheels in the southbound lanes.

According to the CHP, skid marks and tire tracks indicate that the vehicle’s left wheels drifted off the asphalt roadway. The driver steered to the right and applied the brakes in an effort to slow down and position the car on the roadway. The vehicle rotated counterclockwise about 180 degrees just before it left the roadway. It overturned several times, leaving a debris trail across the center median, before it came to rest.

CHP commercial officer Ralph Villegas responded to the scene and contacted the 12-year-old passenger, who was wearing her seat belt and sustained a minor hand injury. She was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The driver, who had been wearing the seat belt’s shoulder harness under her left arm, was partially ejected out the driver’s window. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Traffic on Highway 101 southbound was closed for about 30 minutes for the investigation, vehicle removal and cleanup.

The driver’s name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

— Noozhawk staff writer Michelle Nelson can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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