2 people killed, 4 injured in Highway 101 crash near Santa Margarita

A Saturday evening crash on Highway 101 left two people dead and four injured, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The agency was still investigating the exact cause of the crash as of Sunday but determined that alcohol was a factor.

The crash occurred around 8 p.m. Saturday on the northbound side of Highway 101 just south of Santa Barbara Road, near Santa Margarita, according to the CHP dispatch log.

Berenice Cortez Pineda, 47, was driving with four other passengers when she pulled into the shoulder of the highway near the Santa Barbara Road off-ramp, according to a CHP news release.

Felipe Gonzalez, 21, was driving over the 65-mph speed limit and lost control of his Suburban, the CHP said. He swerved into the shoulder and struck the rear of Pineda’s car, according to the agency.

The impact caused Pineda’s car to catapult about 120 feet and spin counter-clockwise, according to the release.

Two passengers in Pineda’s car — Celene Reducindo, 47, and Maria Hernandez, 54 — died in the crash.

Pineda and two other passengers, 3-year-old Mia Peralta and 48-year-old Ricardo Gonzalez, received major injuries.

Felipe Gonzalez, the other driver, was arrested following the collision. He was taken to Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton to recover from minor injuries, the CHP said.

The CHP said three people were sitting in the back seat of Pineda’s sedan, one of whom wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

The CHP said Pineda pulled over into the shoulder for unknown reasons. The CHP dispatch log initially reported that her car was reportedly on fire, and visible smoke was seen.

All people involved in the collision were residents of Santa Maria.

Caltrans implemented a lane closure following Saturday’s crash. The highway reopened at about midnight.

This story was originally published April 17, 2022 at 1:44 AM.