12-Year-Old Dies in Traffic Collision

Source: California Highway Patrol

At approximately 22:55, Erasmo Vargas was driving a 2003 Lincoln Navigator southbound on US-101, south of SR-154, within the #1 lane at a stated speed of 75 mph in heavy rain. Vargas lost control of the Lincoln and traveled off the paved portion of the roadway, in a south easterly direction, into the dirt and grass center median where it overturned. A 12 year old female passenger was ejected onto the northbound #1 lane where she succumbed to her injuries. The #1 traffic lane of US-101 northbound, was closed for approximately 1 hour due to this incident.

While this collision remains an investigation, alcohol and or drugs were determined not to be a contributing factor.