Authorities Release Identity of Santa Barbara Man Killed in Head-on Truck Crash at Gaviota
Thomas McGregor, 25, Died January 5 When His Pickup Collided with Semi on Southbound 101
The man who died in a head-on collision that closed the southbound Highway 101 for 12 hours on January 5 was identified as Thomas McGregor, 25, of Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Bureau released his identity on January 16, after notifying his next of kin.
The accident occurred around 2:48 a.m. when McGregor’s pickup truck collided with a commercial semi-truck, which overturned on the edge of the highway to the west of Dos Pueblos Canyon Road. McGregor’s truck was on fire in the highway’s center median as crews from County Fire arrived. A single male was reported dead in the incident at the time, and the big-rig driver declined hospital care.
Southbound vehicles were rerouted to State Route 154 until one lane of the 101 was reopened. The second lane reopened after guardrail repairs were made later that day.