One man died Wednesday night due to a single-vehicle crash on Highway 101 in the Santa Maria Valley, according to the California Highway Patrol.

At approximately 8:40 p.m. emergency personnel were dispatched to a crash on Highway 101 at the southbound Santa Maria Way on-ramp, CHP Officer Maria Barriga said Thursday afternoon.

A Mercedes E300, driven by a male, veered to the right and off the roadway, crashing into a tree, Barriga said. 

The Mercedes came to rest between the tree and an adjoining barrier wall, she added. 

Santa Maria Fire Department personnel extricated the driver, who was transported to Marian Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased, Barriga said. 

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of life in this crash, and we extend our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased. Always take necessary precautions to prevent tragedy.” said CHP Lt. Joseph Rodriguez, commander of the Santa Maria area office.

On Thursday, the CHP asked anyone who witnessed the crash or had information abut the incident to contact Officer Naylor at the Santa Maria CHP office by calling 805.608.6310.

— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.