SLO Man Survives Rollover but Dies When Hit Afterward
A 22-year-old San Luis Obispo man survived a one-vehicle accident early Monday morning, only to die when he was struck by an oncoming vehicle several minutes later, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Adam Begazo was driving a Toyota 4Runner northbound on Highway 101, returning to San Luis Obispo from the Los Angeles area. He hit the center divider and rolled the vehicle, landing upside down, blocking the fast and center lanes of the freeway just north of the State Beaches exit.
Begazo and his two passengers were able to get out of the vehicle after the accident which happened around 3:45 Monday morning.
A passerby pulled over to the side and asked Begazo and the others if they were hurt and if they had called for help. When told they were not hurt and had not called 911, he returned to his car to get his cell phone.
He then saw a van driven by Michael White, 63, from Oxnard which was headed directly toward the overturned Toyota and the three men who were near it. He yelled a warning, but they were not able to move out of the way in time.
The van struck the overturned Toyota and all three men. Begazo was killed. Jacob Wolfe, 22, had major injuries and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Christopher Stevens, 21, received minor injuries.
White was the only passenger in the van and was not hurt. He was driving to his job in Goleta at the time of the accident.
The accident backed up traffic more than 8 miles into Ventura during the normally busy Monday morning commute. Lane were full open by 10:30 a.m. but traffic was not fully cleared for a few more hours.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked the call the Highway Patrol at (805) 477-4100.
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Slideshow: Man Survives Rollover, but Dies When Struck Afterward