Sheriff's Lieutenant Arrested for DUI in Highway 154 Collision
Photo: SBCFD
A Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office employee was involved in a serious injury collision on SR – 154 near Lake Cachuma on Saturday evening, September 14, 2019.
The Buellton office of the California Highway Patrol responded to the accident. Javier Antunez, an off-duty Custody lieutenant assigned to the Main Jail, was driving one of the vehicles involved in the collision and was placed under arrest for driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and causing injury.
Antunez has been employed with the Sheriff’s Office since 1999. He has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
Update by edhat staff
Three vehicles collided on Highway 154 Saturday evening causing seven people to be injured.
At 7:15 p.m., Santa Barbara County firefighters responded to the scene approximately 3/4 of a mile east of the Lake Cachuma entrance. Crews discovered three vehicles involved in a head-on collision.
Public Information Officer Mike Eliason reports a BMW traveling eastbound on Highway 154 two occupants, a male and female, drifted into oncoming traffic and collided head-on with a Toyota Tacoma driving westbound with four occupants. Another vehicle that was behind the accident, a Jeep with one female occupant, struck both vehicles.
There was a total of 7 patients, one with critical injuries. A CalStar helicopter landed on Highway 154 and flew the critical patient to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital while three ambulances transported three more patients with moderate injuries to the same hospital. There were three other patients that suffered minor injuries who declined transport to the hospital and were treated at the scene, said Eliason.
Highway 154 was shut down in both directions for a time during the medical response and investigation.
Reported by Roger the Scanner Guy
Highway 154 3/4ths a mile East of Lake Cachuma.
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132 Comments
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Sep 16, 2019 08:27 AMShorebird, very, VERY often they're poking along at 40 or 45. 154 is a 55-MPH zone.
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Sep 16, 2019 08:08 AMThe “slow” drivers are probably driving the speed limit. Don’t blame them. Blame the impatient risk takers.
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Sep 15, 2019 03:40 PMSeveral vehicle accidents plus a Lake Cachuma Oak tree limb smooshing a campground set up. I say stir clear of this area until the demonic spirits move on.
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Sep 16, 2019 08:40 AMFunny.
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Sep 15, 2019 03:30 PMJust wanted to go ahead and note that the article mentioned that the BMW “drifted” (into oncoming traffic). I am not trying to dissuade the argument about the severity and dangers of speeding on the 154, and especially this stretch of road. I just wanted to point out that there are other dangers to consider and, all in speculation of course, this very well could have been an unfortunate example of falling asleep behind the wheel, not sure...I just hope that everyone is okay and that they recover quickly...
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Sep 16, 2019 04:33 PMSorry I forgot to hit refresh
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Sep 16, 2019 04:32 PMI was not informed of that at the time that I posted my comment- thank you for correcting me, I guess I was just trying to give the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately however it seems I couldn’t have been more wrong. I honestly don’t know what to say.
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Sep 16, 2019 04:32 PMI was not informed of that at the time that I posted my comment- thank you for correcting me, I guess I was just trying to give the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately however it seems I couldn’t have been more wrong. I honestly don’t know what to say...
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Sep 16, 2019 04:32 PMI was not informed of that at the time that I posted my comment- thank you for correcting me, I guess I was just trying to give the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately however it seems I couldn’t have been more wrong. I honestly don’t know what to say...
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Sep 15, 2019 11:14 PMDrunk driver, actually.
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Sep 15, 2019 01:53 PMOh hell yes, more signs, stop signs, more cops, lower speed limits, tolls. How about GPS jammers? Fencing to block the views? I like 'em all. I use the 101, higher speeds, fewer cops, better views.
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Sep 16, 2019 09:07 PMHow do you figure views are better on the 101? I enjoy looking at the mountains and Lake passing through the 154. Don't take it much - but it is a beautiful drive.
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Sep 15, 2019 12:47 PMAsk our local elected officials who oversee Caltrans to be accountable for this continuing carnage - Moinque Limon and Hannah-Beth Jackson. Make anyone running to replace these two accountable about fixing this almost daily, if not weekly carnage. When locals are prevented from accessing their own back country due to unsafe conditions caused by out of town drivers, our local elected officials should have been stopping this a long time ago. However, we do have a long history of "fixing" 154 particularly after Lois Capps and her husband US Rep Walter Capps were devastating accident victims on this very highway. It is beyond time to do something drastic and come clean about who is causing and why are these accidents happening with such morbid frequency.
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Sep 17, 2019 08:13 AMHe attacks them at every opportunity, and it's never anything they have anything to do with. He has no scruples.
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Sep 16, 2019 10:44 AMReally, you think those elected officials have that much power, and can micromanage Caltrans into making people drive sensibly? Maybe they could ask the CHP to do increased enforcement on that road, but if everyone is speeding, which it looks to me like they are, then they only get the drivers that are really going fast. I guess the more interesting question to me is why are so many people in such a hurry to get to where they are going? What do they do with that extra 5 mins they saved by driving like maniacs?
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Sep 15, 2019 12:08 PMHow about a sign at the bottom of the hill on both sides that has a huge running tally of injured and dead on this road.
Remember the "Blood Alley" sign up near Salinas? It always got my attention and refocused me on speed and safety.
Flashing yellow lights at various locations. Put more CHP units up there and station them in obvious places--they will make a lot of money for the department by writing speeding tickets.
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Sep 15, 2019 11:54 AMWe camp at Cachuma Lake regularly. One can hear the traffic, especially from the Mohawk side of the campground. The traffic amps up during the summer to incredible numbers, from early morning to late at night, especially bad on weekends. The highway is not designed for the speed and numbers of vehicles passing through. Good suggestions to lower speed limits. If more vehicles are jammed in there, the accidents will increase, and more will be injured and die. Cal Trans wake up.
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Sep 15, 2019 12:08 PMThat volume and speed on the 154 is a Reckless driving condition all by itself. IMO.
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Sep 15, 2019 08:34 AMBlame Waze & Google Maps. Those who want to "get to Santa Barbara 10 minutes quicker" are flooding onto the 154 at the northern access by Los Olivos. I say we make it a toll road. Locals would be glad to pay a small fee to stop the carnage caused by these distracted speeders.
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Sep 16, 2019 11:32 AMBlack Band at 3:30--dude, pretty sure that the money collected by writing speeding tickets goes into the State's coffers which fund the CHP, you may not know those three letters stand for "California Highway Patrol". So, yeah, the CHP, i.e., the State of California can make a lot of money ticketing people on the 154 all day long. Have a "stoopid" day.
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Sep 15, 2019 03:35 PMStop signs on 154? What a ghastly idea. Lower the speed limit and enforce it.
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Sep 15, 2019 03:30 PMLet's knock off the stoopid comments about the CHP making money off of ticketing bad drivers; they don't get squat from the courts, Nor do the meter maids enforcing parking rules.
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Sep 15, 2019 12:27 PMBetter than a toll, just add a few stop signs to make the drive slightly longer than the 101 route. Then GPSs won't recommend it to the general public. Stop signs are an easy money maker for CHP, too.
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Sep 15, 2019 11:27 AMThe GPS issue is a valid concern. I used to live near there and I'm an excellent driver. And so I take 101 to avoid those who are not. I believe the issue around the Lake Cachuma area is the narrow, winding roadway. The speed signs say reduce speed to 45mph and they mean it! Should be 40. Even competent drivers with competent vehicles can't do 55/60 safely. Like most traffic "accidents", excessive speed and inattention are the major concerns. All of 154 should be a reduced speed zone, but CalTrans has rules about speed and signage. Slow down and enjoy the view and ride, or not and die. Now that's a sign I'd like to see. ;-)
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Sep 15, 2019 09:55 AMBuild a wall. Keep the riff-raff out, the "other", outsiders who don't get it. Save the local resources for locals even if access to these resources was paid for by others, by outsiders.
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Sep 15, 2019 09:00 AMUm, its not Google or Waze per se, it's all GPS systems. Traffic on the 154 should be restricted. No through truck traffic, no bus traffic and no one over 70 in a Prius or a rental Mustang convertible. :-)
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Sep 15, 2019 07:57 AMI've been driving this road regular basis for over 30 yrs. Most recently I am on a motorcycle that rides up high. I can honestly tell you that most errant drivers are in rental cars or texting drivers- the regular commuters know the dangers of the road (above mentioned drivers) and drive defensively.
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Sep 16, 2019 09:07 PMIt's tag des or day of...not tadges. So it's like...what's going on today.
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Sep 15, 2019 08:10 PMSo Tadges in german means Tadges like Smith in english means Smith but Tages in german means day?
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Sep 15, 2019 07:50 PMBar code on the windshield, Chrysler 200 and Germans in a new Mustang* convertible are also giveaways. *Since I speak a little of my ancestors native tongue I always oblige them by taking their photo with the top down at the Hendry's overlook.
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Sep 15, 2019 03:55 PM1) rental cars are most likely 1-3 years old.
2) rental card do NOT have licence plate frames (99% of the time)
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Sep 15, 2019 12:54 PMYou're not an observant Ed hatter or you'd know 166 is a State Hwy or if you're referring to another poster you need the time stamp.
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Sep 15, 2019 11:01 AMWait. If I can see another driver texting, then *I* am not paying attention. Genius! Give this poster a medal.
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Sep 15, 2019 10:51 AMHOW can you determine what constitutes a rental car? We'd all like to know.
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Sep 15, 2019 10:24 AM@166 EDHAT TROLL
...because I'm a skilled and observant driver... I am also able to ascertain what is a rental car - I am sharp that way.
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Sep 15, 2019 09:59 AMCOASTWATCH: How can you tell they're rental cars? And if you can see from your moving motorcycle that the drivers are texting, you're very obviously not paying attention to your driving.
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Sep 14, 2019 10:13 PMWait. Another accident near Lake Cachuma? What the heck?
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Sep 14, 2019 07:33 PM3 Vehicles involved.
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Sep 14, 2019 07:32 PM3 Ambulances responded.
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