Impatient driver killed in crash on Highway 1 identified

The driver of a vehicle that died in a head-on crash while attempting to pass cars in a median last week has been identified.

Patrick Neisinger, 50, of Lompoc was identified as the person killed last Friday on Highway 1 near Vandenberg Village.

Neisinger was driving southbound on Highway 1 when he attempted to pass two slower vehicles in the center grassy median. His vehicle Toyota Corolla clipped one of the vehicles he was trying to pass, causing the Corolla to go into oncoming traffic where it collided with a Ford Explorer. The Corolla then went down an embankment where it burst into flames.

Neisinger died at the scene.

The driver of the Explorer suffered a serious leg injury and was transported to the hospital by helicopter.

Traffic was affected for hours while crews cleaned up the wreckage and investigators worked to piece together what had happened.