A horrific crash on Highway 101 near Seacliff late Wednesday afternoon killed one motorist and left three people injured, including a California Highway Patrol officer. Northbound lanes were closed after the 4:30 p.m. crash, which occurred just south of Padre Juan Canyon Road north of Emma Wood State Beach.
According to CHP officials, Ventura-area CHP motorcycle Officer Anthony Pedeferri was on the right shoulder of the highway with a Nissan sport utility vehicle he had stopped. A Ford pickup truck traveling northbound swerved onto the shoulder and struck the parked SUV, which exploded in flames, officials said. The impact pushed the vehicle about 60 yards up the highway and the force of the explosion blew the officer off the roadway. He was found unconscious some 20 yards away.
The Ventura County Star reported that the pickup driver, Jeremy White, 20, of Paso Robles, was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and booked at Ventura County Jail. White and his passenger had been taken by ambulance to Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura with minor injuries.
The driver of the stopped Nissan, Andreas Parra, 20, of Phoenix, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Pedeferri, an 11-year veteran, was airlifted by helicopter to Ventura County Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.
Northbound traffic was diverted onto Old Pacific Coast Highway.