The CHP has released the name of the 20-year-old man killed late Wednesday night while running across Highway 101 in Santa Maria.
The California Highway Patrol on Friday said Romeio Castillo of Santa Maria died on New Year’s Eve when he was struck by several vehicles on Highway 101 near the Santa Maria River bridge after crashing his car.
The accident occurred just before 10:30 p.m. on the freeway north of Broadway as the vehicle, a red 1995 Cadillac, was being pursued by Santa Maria police officers, the CHP said.
The incident started on Betteravia Road west of Miller Street when officers attempted to pull over the Cadillac for traffic violations, the CHP said.
Castillo failed to yield, and headed east on Betteravia before entering northbound Highway 101, the CHP said.
Officers continued the pursuit, which reportedly reached speeds of 100 mph, before discontinuing the chase at Donovan Road for safety reasons, the CHP said.
Moments later, the Cadillac attempted to take the Broadway offramp, but veered off the roadway and crashed through a perimeter fence on the east side of the highway, according to a California Highway Patrol officer.
The momentum carried the Cadillac back through the fence, and it came to a stop near the edge of the roadway.
Castillo fled the wrecked Cadillac and ran across the highway to the southbound lanes, where he suffered fatal injuries after being struck by several vehicles, the CHP said.
The CHP closed all southbound lanes at Highway 166 east, diverting traffic onto Bull Canyon Road, for more than two hours.
— 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.
