Car hits semi truck at deadly Hwy. 101 intersection that’s slated for safety improvements
A deadly highway intersection in San Luis Obispo County saw another vehicle collision on Tuesday night.
A Honda traveling southbound crashed into a semi truck pulling two trailers near the Wellsona Road intersection on Highway 101 at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Patrick Seebart.
The semi truck also was traveling southbound ahead of the Honda when its driver turned left onto Wellsona Road. The Honda then crashed into the right rear portion of the trailer, Seebart said.
The Honda was so damaged in the crash that the driver couldn’t maneuver his vehicle off of the highway, according to Seebart. The car was eventually towed, he said.
The semi truck left the scene of the crash before police arrived, though the driver likely wasn’t aware of the collision, Seebart said.
The Honda’s driver, a 65-year-old Monterey County resident, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, according to Seebart. The driver complained of pain to his left leg but rejected transportation to the hospital, Seebart said.
The cause of the collision is still under investigation, Seebart said.
Caltrans to build underpass at deadly Highway 101 intersection
The Wellsona Road intersection on Highway 101 is the site of numerous vehicle collisions.
From 2012 to 2016, 16 vehicle collisions occurred at the Wellsona Road intersection, including six fatalities, The Tribune previously reported.
In 2017, grape grower Richard Sauret was killed in a collision at the intersection, and in March, an Oxnard man died in a crash just north of Wellsona Road on Highway 101.
To prevent future collisions, Caltrans proposed building an underpass for motorists to turn left onto Wellsona Road without needing to cross Highway 101.
Construction on the $13.5 million project is set to start in 2024, according to Caltrans.
This story was originally published April 12, 2023 at 3:19 PM.
