The California Highway Patrol is investigating a suspicious death on Highway 166 east of Santa Maria and closed the roadway for several hours early Friday morning.
CHP Santa Maria personnel responded to the highway near Suey Creek Road at 11:40 p.m. for an active investigation and determined it was a suspicious death investigation, according to CHP Officer Maria Barriga.
Authorities closed the highway for several hours between Santa Maria and Cuyama and reopened it around 5:25 a.m.
Details about the incident have not been released but CHP Coastal Division Investigative
Services Unit detectives have taken over the investigation, Barriga said.
“The safety of our community is our highest priority,” said Santa Maria Area Commander Lieutenant Joseph Rodriguez. “Detectives are working tirelessly to advance the investigation.”
CHP is asking that anyone who was in the area of Highway 166 and Suey Creek Road at the time of the incident to contact the Coastal Division tip line at CHP-710Tips@chp.ca.gov.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office initially responded to the Highway 166 incident and then turned it over to the CHP, officials said.