Driver dead off Highway 166 after pickup truck found at bottom of cliff

A person was found dead Monday after their vehicle was discovered at the bottom of a cliff off Highway 166.

According to Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Scott Safechuck, a pickup truck was found 300 feet over the side of the highway in the vicinity of the Rock Front Off-Highway Vehicle Area near Santa Maria at 8:14 a.m.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Safechuck.

The person’s name has not been released.

Santa Barbara County Fire, Santa Maria Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service all responded to the scene .

Law enforcement officials are expected to handle investigation into the incident, Safechuck said.

This story was originally published April 24, 2023 at 2:24 PM.

Kaytlyn Leslie

The Tribune

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Kaytlyn Leslie writes about business and development for The San Luis Obispo Tribune. Hailing from Nipomo, she also covers city governments and happenings in San Luis Obispo. She joined The Tribune in 2013 after graduating from Cal Poly with her journalism degree.