Man thrown from rolling car in suspected DUI crash on Cuesta Grade
A man was evacuated by helicopter from the top of the Cuesta Grade after he was ejected from a rolling car in a suspected DUI crash early Friday morning.
At around 3:12 a.m., Jose Pena was driving north on Highway 101 just south of Tassajara Creek Road at an unknown speed when he lost control of the vehicle for unknown reasons, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release. At least one other person was in the car in the front right passenger seat.
The vehicle, a green Toyota Tundra, rolled over multiple times, causing the passenger in the front to be ejected onto the right shoulder of the highway, the release said.
The passenger suffered major injuries and was transported by med-evac helicopter to Marian Regional Medical Center, the release said.
The car came to rest blocking one of the lanes and the driver exited the vehicle, the release said. The crash also resulted in a second crash that did not involve any injuries.
Pena was determined to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash and was arrested and booked at the San Luis Obispo County Jail on felony DUI charges.
“Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the primary causes of deadly and serious injury crashes on California roads,” Officer James Ferguson said in the release. “Sadly, this preventable crash is another example of how impaired driving can impact the lives of those you care about. Don’t drink and drive, call a rideshare, taxi or a friend. Your decisions you make will be long-lasting for everyone.“
The crash was still under investigation and anyone with information was encouraged to call the California Highway Patrol’s San Luis Obispo area office at 805-594-8700.
This story was originally published January 30, 2026 at 3:53 PM.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story said the crash took place Monday. The story has been updated to reflect the crash happened on Friday. The officer quoted is James Ferguson.
