Wrong-way Driver at 100 MPH
Kills 3
This was the scene
early Thursday after a car crash left three people dead on southbound
Highway 101 in
Ventura. (Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/VENTURA FIRE DEPARTMENT)
Thursday Morning Near
Ventura
Thursday
July 27, 2017 at approximately 12:03 A.M., a fatal traffic collision occurred
on the Ventura Freeway. Involved were a 2008 Toyota Scion and a 2011 Nissan
Versa, on the southbound US-101 Ventura Freeway, north of the State Route-126
(Santa Paula Freeway) in Ventura, California.
Previously
two minutes before, a California Highway
Patrol Officer was exiting the southbound US-101 at Oxnard Boulevard, and observed
a black Toyota Scion traveling wrong way (northbound) from Oxnard Boulevard,
onto the US-101 southbound.
The
California Highway Patrolman exited
the freeway and entered the northbound, US-101 from Oxnard Boulevard, attemptng
to keep pace with the Toyota from the northbound side. The Patrolman began
attempting to get additional units into position to safely stop the Toyota. The
Toyota continued traveling wrong-way on the US-101 at a high rate of
speed-close to 100 miles per hour.
The
Toyota Scion was driven by a male driver, later identified to be age 34, from
Santa Paula, California.
The
southbound driver, later to be identified to be age 25, from Riverside
California, was driving a white 2011 Nissan Versa, on southbound US-101
(Ventura Freeway) in the #1 lane, north of SR-126 (Santa Paula Freeway) along
with a female passenger, age 28, out of Lake Elsinore.
The
Toyota Scion collided head-on with the Nissan Versa; resulting in both vehicles
sustaining major damage as a result of the collision.
The
Toyota Scion male driver was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Ventura Fire
Emergency Responders. The male driver and right front female passenger of the
Nissan Versa were also pronounced deceased on scene.
Identities
of all the parties involved are not releasable at this time, pending next of
kin notification.
The
early Thursday morning collision is under investigation by the Ventura Area CHP
Office. Anyone who witnessed or has information regarding the collision is
asked to call the Ventura Area California Highway Patrol at (805) 662-2640.