Port Hueneme Woman Arrested in Connection to Fatal Crash on Highway 101 in Montecito

[Update: Wed., Aug. 16] Authorities have released the name of the man killed in Sunday’s suspected DUI crash. The victim was Louis Hernandez Jr., 77, of Santa Paula. The driver believed to have caused the collision, Ricki Newton, was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter and booked in county jail.

[Original story] A Port Hueneme woman was arrested early Sunday morning following a fatal traffic collision on the southbound side of Highway 101 in Montecito. The crash — in which one person died and three others suffered minor to moderate injuries — is “DUI related,” according to an incident report released by the California Highway Patrol on Monday. 

Emergency responders with Montecito Fire Department and CHP received a report of a crash just north of the Olive Mill Road exit at 3:10 a.m. involving two vehicles, one of which, a 2002 Mercury SUV, was struck by a 2019 Toyota Camry and went down the embankment off the right side of the highway, according to the CHP report. 

The driver of the SUV, an elderly female, was transported to Cottage Hospital for medical treatment for traumatic head and internal injuries and lacerations as a result of the crash. Tragically, the passenger of the SUV, an unidentified elderly man, succumbed to his injuries and died; according to the CHP report, his name is being withheld until the family is notified. 

The female driver of the Camry, Ricki Newton, 22, of Port Hueneme, suffered minor injuries, as did one of the two female passengers in her car, and Newton was arrested at the scene, according to the CHP report. While formal charges have yet to be filed, the incident report describes the collision as “DUI related,” and a CHP spokesperson said that felony charges are being sought.

CHP is investigating the incident and asks that any witnesses who might have seen the collision contact the CHP Santa Barbara office at (805) 967-1234.