Santa Maria man killed in single-vehicle crash on Highway 101 in Orcutt

A Santa Maria man was was killed Tuesday evening in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 101 in Orcutt.

Emergency personnel were dispatched shortly after 6 p.m. to the southbound Clark Avenue off-ramp, where a pickup truck had gone off the roadway, slammed into a tree and rolled over onto its side, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The 53-year-old driver of the vehicle was declared dead at the scene, according to Capt. Daniel Bertuceli of the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

Heavy extrication was required to remove the victim’s body from the mangled wreckage of the 2001 Ford F-150, Bertucelli said.

The pickup truck reportedly was traveling at a high speed before the crash, the CHP said.

The victim’s name was not released pending notification of relatives.

The crash, which caused traffic restrictions in the area, was under investigation by the CHP.

Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.