A wrong-way driver died and 14 people were injured when their vehicle collided head-on with a Chumash Casino tour bus on Highway 101 north of Los Alamos early Friday, authorities reported. The crash occurred around 3:05 a.m. when a Honda Civic traveling northbound in the southbound lanes struck the tour bus in the fast lane. Both vehicles subsequently caught fire.
The driver of the Honda Civic was pronounced dead at the scene. Their identity has not yet been released pending family notification. The bus driver, Rema Alicia Padilla of Santa Maria, and all 13 passengers managed to exit the vehicle before the fire intensified. Some passengers sustained minor to moderate injuries and were transported to Marian Regional Hospital for treatment.
First responders, including the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, arrived quickly to extinguish the blaze. All lanes of Highway 101 have since reopened.
Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, expressed gratitude that all 14 team members on the bus evacuated safely. "We are thankful that all 14 of our Team Members were able to safely evacuate the bus, be accounted for following the crash and avoid any further harm," Kahn stated. He also extended appreciation to the first responders, law enforcement, and medical teams for their swift response.
The California Highway Patrol is conducting an ongoing investigation into the circumstances that led to the crash.