Three people were pulled out of this mangled car that was hit by a big-rig on Highway 101 in Buellton. The truck went over the bridge and caught fire. The driver died. (Photo: Lompoc Record)
Three people were rescued from a car that was smashed and dangling over a bridge after a fatal truck accident Thursday on Highway 101 in Buellton. The big-rig driver died after his truck crashed over the bridge and caught fire.
• A gravel truck slammed into a BMW on a Highway 101 bridge.
• The BMW was smashed into the concrete railing at the edge of the bridge. It dangled over the edge with a mother and two children inside.
• Rescue workers were able to pull the three victims from the car. They were airlifted to a hospital with minor to moderate injuries.
• The big-rig crashed completely through the railing and plummeted to the creek bed below. It burst into flames, killing the driver.
The deadly highway crash occurred at about 2:40 p.m., according to a KSBY News report.
California Highway Patrol Officer Danny Maher said a big-rig hauling a load of gravel was traveling northbound on Highway 101 when it slammed into the back of a black BMW in the Three Bridges area south of Santa Rosa Road.
“The BMW was then forced into the center concrete wall where the three parties in the BMW became trapped in the vehicle,” Maher said.
The mangled car was literally dangling over the edge of the bridge (see photo). The big-rig crashed through the railing and plummeted to the creek bed below, where it burst into flames. The truck driver, whose identity was not released, died at the scene.
Some Navy SeaBees who were stuck in the ensuing traffic jam were transporting a forklift, which they used to prevent the BMW from falling over the railing, according to a report in the Santa Maria Times. Rescue workers were able to free the BMW driver, 36-year-old Kelli Groves, and her two children — 10-year-old Sage Groves and 10-week-old Milo Groves — from the vehicle. There was no update on their condition as of Thursday afternoon.
All three of the victims were taken to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. It appears from news reports that the mother and her 10-year-old daughter suffered moderate injuries and were airlifted via helicopter, while the baby suffered minor injuries and was transported via ground ambulance.
Traffic was completely stopped on the bridge, which sustained heavy damage in the crash. CHP officials said it would remain closed until Caltrans engineers could completely inspect it and determine if it is safe.
According to the KSBY report, the big-rig spilled 50 gallons of diesel fuel into the creek bottom. Santa Barbara County Fire Department workers constructed a dike to keep the spill from spreading.
California Truck Accident Lawyers
The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have successfully represented truck accident victims and their families for 35 years. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.
