Northbound Highway 101 in Carpinteria was reduced to a single lane on Monday, causing a massive traffic tie-up, following an overnight crash that killed a 34-year-old Santa Barbara man, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The accident, involving a Ford Ranger pickup and a Granite Construction Co. work truck, occurred at about 1:45 a.m. near Bates Road, said CHP Officer Joel Asmussen.
Both vehicles were northbound at the time of the collision, Asmussen said.
The Ranger slammed into the back of the Granite truck, which was placing cones for a lane closure, Asmussen said.
The Ranger ended up pinned against a freeway overcrossing, the CHP said, and its driver, Julio C. Pegueros, was declared dead at the scene.
Jose F. Becerra, 40, of Ventura, who was a passenger in the Granite vehicle — possibly the person placing the cones — was ejected, and suffered minor injuries, Asmussen said.
The driver of the Granite vehicle, John P. Avalos, 45, of Santa Maria, was uninjured, the CHP said.
It was not known whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, which remained under investigation, Asmussen said.
All lanes were reported reopened at about 11:45 a.m., the CHP said.
“Traffic is backed up all the way to the state beaches in Ventura County,” Asmussen said.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
