A Santa Maria man is facing manslaughter and other charges stemming from a collision near Santa Maria on Thursday afternoon that killed two people and seriously injured two others, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Daniel Castillo, 37, of Santa Maria, was driving a large forklift that slammed into a Honda Civic at about 2:45 p.m. on Philbric Road near Betteravia Road, CHP Officer Craig Carrier said.
Castillo, who was southbound, attempted to make a left turn into an agricultural field when he struck the left side of the northbound Civic, driving it into a nearby drainage ditch, Carrier said.
He said the car’s driver, Adolfo Pozos Carrasco, 18, of Santa Maria, and a passenger in the left rear seat, Casilda Diaz Pozos, 49, of Santa Maria, were declared dead at the scene.
Two other female passengers — Mayte Carrasco, 40, and Celiset Pozos, 19, both of Santa Maria — suffered major injuries, Carrier said.
One woman was airlifted to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and the other was taken by ambulance to Marian Regional Medical Center.
Both were listed Friday in serious to critical condition, Carrier said.
Castillo was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and DUI, both felonies, and was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail.
The District Attorney’s Office charged Castillo with two felony counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, two counts of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol causing injury, and great bodily injury. His bail is set at $250,000.
— 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.