A woman traveling on State Road 156 north of Hollister this
morning veered out of her lane and smashed into another car that
was driving in the opposite direction, according to the California
Highway Patrol.
A woman traveling on State Road 156 north of Hollister this morning veered out of her lane and smashed into another car that was driving in the opposite direction, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The 4:25 a.m. collision resulted in major injuries to three people and minor injuries to an additional person, according to highway patrol. The stretch of highway between State Road 25 and San Felipe Road was closed from 4:30 a.m. to 7:15 a.m., but traffic was backed up in the area for much of the morning commute, residents said.
Salinas resident Alexis Padin, 26, was heading westbound in a 2002 Cadillac with 29-year-old Salinas resident Ignacio Ochoa, according to highway patrol. Their car drifted into the eastbound lane, where it collided with 25-year-old Watsonville resident Hector Chavez, who was traveling with 22-year-old Watsonville resident Daniel Barron in a 2005 Isuzu.
The resulting collision caused all people to be trapped in their car, according to highway patrol. When law enforcement arrived, they pried the people out and transported Chavez and Ochoa to Saint Louise Regional Hospital and Hazel Hawkins Hospital, respectively.
The collision was not caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol, according to highway patrol, but the incident is under investigation.
