At 6:30 a.m. Friday, Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies responded to the 200 block of Winchester Canyon Road.
A resident in the area had called 911 to report that a green Ford Expedition was in the roadway, resting on the driver’s side. It appeared to have driven up the right roadway embankment and then rolled down on its side.
Units arrived on the scene and located the empty vehicle.
While deputies were checking the area for evidence, they found a deceased male 100 feet down a cliff side, in a creek. The creek is about 20 feet west of where the vehicle was located.
An additional witness reported talking with a person near the vehicle in the early morning hours after the crash occurred. The person told the witness that he was attempting to get his vehicle back on its wheels. The witness suggested that the man call for a tow truck. He also told the witness that he was in the area visiting family and was looking for a place to camp.
Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue volunteers responded to the scene and used a technical rope system to raise the deceased man up the side of a cliff to the roadway.
Coroner’s detectives have identified him as Michael Currier, 36, of Long Beach. Detectives do not suspect foul play.
— Raquel Zick is a public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
