Seven-Vehicle Crash in Montecito Brings Highway 101 to a Halt
Two Minor Injuries from Friday-Morning Pileup Involving Overturned Truck
[Update: Tue., June 11, 2024] After a review with CHP officers, the Indy learned that nine vehicles collided in three separate incidents, all triggered by the box truck caroming off the left guardrail and flipping to its side on a damp, foggy morning. The sideways Isuzu truck was struck by a Dodge pickup truck, which became disabled, said CHP Officer Jonathan Gutierrez, who flipped through 14 reports of accidents on the 101 that day.
Another driver saw the collision ahead and braked hard, losing control of his pickup. He veered left, ran into a Honda sedan, and the Dodge coupe behind them collided with the guardrail and the Honda as it tried to slow down. As the traffic flow faltered from these accidents, four other cars crashed before highway traffic ground to a halt.
[Original Story] The 101 highway through Santa Barbara came to a standstill early Friday morning, June 7, when a total of seven vehicles became involved in a crash that led to a box truck loaded with vegetables landing on its side in the northbound lanes.
What led to the crash at around 5:45 a.m. on Friday remains unclear, but it resulted in two minor injuries. With the highway completely blocked, Montecito firefighters went over the fence at Coast Village Circle in order to reach the drivers and passengers, Battalion Chief Scott Chapman reported. Ambulances went down the Hermosillo exit to reach the injured.
The lanes remained blocked up until about 8 a.m., when tow trucks, ambulances, firefighters, and California Highway Patrol officers were able to clear the scene.
