Highway 166 head-on crash kills 1 person, sparks vegetation fire
A head-on collision Saturday evening on Highway 166 northeast of Santa Maria left one person dead and another seriously injured, and sparked a small vegetation fire.
At approximately 6:45 p.m., personnel from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and the California Highway Patrol were dispatched to the scene on the 9100 block of Highway 166 in front of Chimineas Ranch.
The crash involved a black Subaru and a motorcycle, with one person trapped in the vehicle, according to fire Engineer/Inspector Mike Gray.
Callers told emergency dispatchers that the motorcycle was on fire off the roadway.
The flames spread to vegetation on a hillside in the area, and blackened 2 to 3 acres, Gray said.
A Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit helicopter was en route to the scene to assist firefighters on the ground.
A Calstar medical helicopter responded to the incident to transport one person with critical injuries to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Gray added.
The victim’s name and details on their condition were not available Saturday evening.
Highway 166 was closed for a time while emergency crews were at the scene.
CHP officers will investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com .
