Parkfield man killed in pistachio orchard crash on SLO County line
Law enforcement officers identified the person killed in a fatal car crash near San Miguel on Thursday as a 63-year-old man from Parkfield.
Daniel Wayne Barrett was driving a gray Dodge Dakota pickup truck westbound on a private road at an undetermined rate of speed when he veered off the road into a pistachio orchard, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release.
He crashed into a large tree off of Vineyard Canyon Road just east of Indian Valley Road at about 3:50 p.m., the release said.
The driver of was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel, the release said. The Monterey County Sheriff Corner’s Office is investigating the cause of death, but the investigating officer believes the driver was not wearing his seatbelt, Officer Brandon Smith told The Tribune.
“Seat belts save lives and prevent injuries,” the release said. “Do not put your own life at risk, or the life of your family or friends.”
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, though alcohol or drugs were not determined to be a factor, the release said.
Anyone with potentially helpful information is encouraged to call California Highway Patrol at 831-796-2160.
This story was originally published February 6, 2026 at 12:15 PM.
