Two Santa Maria men were killed and four other people were injured in a three-vehicle collision Friday evening on Highway 166 halfway between Santa Maria and Guadalupe, authorities said.
According to California Highway Patrol Officer Benjamin Smith, the driver of a 2004 Nissan 350Z was traveling east at a high rate of speed, passing vehicles on the highway’s right dirt shoulder.
He said the driver lost control of the sports car near Bonita School Road, and the vehicle spun across the highway slammed head-on into a 2017 Nissan Altima.
The impact sent the Altima rolling over, and the sedan came to rest on its roof just off the westbound shoulder of the highway, also known as West Black Road.
The 350Z continued traveling east in the oncoming lane before colliding with a third vehicle, a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt compact car.
The drivers of both Nissans were pronounced dead at the scene of the 6:05 p.m. crash, about three miles west of Santa Maria.
Late Friday, the CHP identified the 350Z driver as 20-year-old Miguel Preciadonava, the car’s only occupant, and the Altima driver as 30-year-old Oscar Campos. Both men were from Santa Maria.
Santa Barbara County fire Capt. Daniel Bertucelli said extensive extrication was required to free victims from the two mangled vehicles.
Smith said two of Campos’ passengers — a 6-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy — suffered critical injuries and were airlifted to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital by a Calstar medical helicopter.
A third passenger, 28-year-old Beatriz Estrada of Santa Maria, suffered minor injuries but declined treatment, he added.
The CHP said the driver of the Cobalt, 28-year-old Nabor Ortizlopez of Santa Maria, sustained minor injuries.
Bertucelli said county fire crews were joined at the crash scene by Santa Maria firefighters, an American Medical Response ambulance and Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies.
The CHP is investigating the cause of the wreck, which closed down Highway 166 for several hours Friday night.
— 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.