Two teens arrested following major crash near Nojoqui Summit
UPDATE
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office arrested two teens, a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old, accused of stealing a white van after confronting an employee at a group home in the 4600 block of South Bradley Road in Santa Maria with a knife.
Authorities say one of the teens also choked the group home employee until she gave up the keys to the van.
The robbery was reported at about 6:30 a.m. according to investigators. During the initial report, California Highway Patrol dispatch received 911 calls of a reckless vehicle matching the description of the stolen van. CHP and a Sheriff’s deputy began pursuing the teen suspects in the area of Highway 246 and US Highway 101.
Authorities say the teen driver crashed into a pickup truck but continued on until he lost control at the summit of the Nojoqui Grade and went off the roadway, causing the van’s tires to flatten.
The two suspects were taken into custody and received medical attention before being released to the custody of the Sheriff’s Office. The suspects’ identities and mug shots are being withheld by authorities due to the ages of the suspects.
The Sheriff’s Office says that soon after the high-risk traffic stop on the teens was initiated, a responding CHP officer was involved in a crash with several unrelated cars who had slowed down due to the traffic. A statement from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said:
Units immediately diverted from the enforcement stop to begin rendering aid and calling for additional resources. Two plain-clothes detectives happened to be in the backed up traffic and both immediately moved in to assist in treating the injured.
Both teens were booked on charges of robbery, vehicle theft, felony evading police, felony child endangerment, and fleeing the scene of a collision.
ORIGINAL STORY
A major crash on U.S. Highway 101 connected to a potential carjacking out of Santa Maria has shut down the southbound side of the freeway near the Nojoqui Summit.
The crash was reported just before 7:15 a.m. Tuesday, May 1. Five vehicles were involved and six people suffered minor injuries including two infants and one California Highway Patrol officer. One person suffered moderate injuries, authorities said.
All of the victims were taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital for treatment. Two suspects have been arrested, authorities said.
The southbound side of Highway 101 was closed and is expected to reopen by 3 p.m. Motorists should expect delays on the northbound side as well.
Traffic is being detoured onto Highway 246 and 154. The southbound US 101 on-ramps at Santa Rosa Road, Highway 246, and Damassa Road are closed as a result of the crash.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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