A 21-year-old Santa Maria man was fatally injured Friday evening in a head-on collision on Highway 154 near Lake Cachuma, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The crash involving a Honda Accord and a Ford Fusion occurred shortly before 6 p.m. just east of the entrance to Lake Cachuma County Park, said Capt. Daniel Bertucelli Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
The Honda was eastbound at a high rate of speed, “making unsafe passing movements over double yellow lines,” said CHP Officel Joel Asmussen.
The Honda crossed into the opposing lane, where it slammed into the westbound Ford, Asmussen said.
The Honda driver, whose name as not released pending notification of relatives, was trapped in the wreckage and required extensive extrication, Bertucelli said.
He was airlifted by Calstar medical helicopter to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The Ford driver, a 40-year-old New Mexico woman, was taken by AMR ground ambulance to Cottage with major injuries. Her name was not available.
A third person reportedly sustained minor injuries, and also was taken to Cottage.
Highway 154 was shut down for about an hour in the area of the crash, which was under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.
It is unknown if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash, 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.