Santa Barbara sheriff identifies man killed in Highway 154 crash

A Santa Barbara man has been identified as the driver who died in a single-vehicle crash Friday night on Highway 154.

Killed in the crash was Rene Martinez-Carrasco, 51, according to Raquel Zick, spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau.

At approximately 7:15 p.m., Martinez-Carrasco was westbound in a 1991 Lexus when he allowed his vehicle to veer off the roadway east of Lake Cachuma, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The vehicle rolled over and landed against a tree off the highway.

Personnel from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department were dispatched to the crash, but Martinez-Carrasco was pronounced dead at the scene.

Extensive extrication was required to remove his remains from the wreckage.

As of Monday, CHP officers were still trying to determine why the vehicle left the roadway.

Anyone with information about the incident can call the CHP’s Buellton office at 805-688-5551.

This story was originally published December 23, 2019 at 4:46 PM.