A major-injury crash Friday morning trapped four passengers
inside two vehicles and stopped traffic for nearly three hours on
Highway 156 as medical personnel rescued the injured people and
officers investigated, the California Highway Patrol reported.
A major-injury crash Friday morning trapped four passengers inside two vehicles and stopped traffic for nearly three hours on Highway 156 as medical personnel rescued the injured people and officers investigated, the California Highway Patrol reported.
A woman driving a 2002 Cadillac Escalade drifted into oncoming traffic and smashed into a 2005 Isuzu at 4:25 a.m. east of Highway 25 on Highway 156, according to officers.
Alexis Padin, a 26-year-old Salinas resident and driver of the westbound Cadillac, suffered a broken jaw and arms, the CHP reported.
Padin’s passenger, 29-year-old Ignacio Ochoa, also of Salinas, suffered a broken pelvis, according to the highway patrol.
The driver of the eastbound Izusu, Hector Chavez, 25, of Watsonville, suffered a broken left leg, according to officers. Daniel Barron, 22, also of Watsonville and a passenger in the Izusu, suffered unspecified minor injuries, the highway patrol reported.
All passengers were wearing their seatbelts, according to the CHP.
Because of fog, the injured were taken to local hospitals by ambulance, the CHP reported. Padin, Ochoa and Barron were taken to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, and Chavez was taken to Saint Louis
Conditions were foggy, misty and dark – but were not believed to have caused or contributed to the crash, said officer Chris Armstrong, a spokesman for the Hollister-Gilroy area office of the CHP. Authorities did not suspect alcohol involvement.
The crash remained under investigation Friday afternoon, Armstrong said.
Armstrong said authorities don’t believe it was related to weather.
“They’re going to contact witnesses and the drivers and see if they can get a reason.”
Highway 156 was closed from 4:30 a.m. to 7:17 a.m., the CHP reported.*
