Woman Dies After Taken Off Life Support Following Traumatic Injuries from Highway 154 Car Crash

A local woman who sustained critical injuries from a head-on collision on Highway 154 has died after being taken off life support, according to her family.

Carly Grace Howard, 24 of Santa Ynez, was injured on May 1 while she was traveling to work when a suspected DUI driver crashed into the vehicle she was in just before 7:00 a.m. near San Antonio Creek Road.

First responders discovered two vehicles, a GMC Sierra pickup truck and a Pontiac Vibe sedan, had collided head-on resulting in injuries to three people.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) stated the GMC was driven by Katelyn Fultz, 24 of Bakersfield. According to the report, Fultz was traveling eastbound when the truck crossed the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic and collided with the sedan head-on.

A total of three people sustained injuries. Howard required extrication from the vehicle and sustained critical injuries. Fultz and one other person sustained moderate injuries.

Howard’s family started a GoFundMe online fundraising page to help cover medical expenses shortly after the collision.

According to the fundraising page, Howard suffered a traumatic brain injury along with many bone breakages and fractures. She was extricated from the vehicle whilst unconscious and immediately taken to the hospital, where she underwent surgery to bring down the swelling of her brain.

On Sunday her family posted an update that the damage to her brain is irreparable, leaving her with no quality of life or independence of basic bodily functions, and no expectation of regaining consciousness.

Around 1:00 a.m. Wednesday, Howard’s family announced she had died.

“Carly passed away peacefully and is in Heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you, everyone, for the support you have shown through both prayers and donations. It has helped more than you know. Every donation has been seen, and the prayers have been felt,” the family stated. “We are grateful for our friends, family, and community; and, we are grateful for the reach of Carly’s story and how we have been afforded the opportunity to showcase God’s grace.”

Fultz was subsequently arrested for DUI and causing great bodily injury. She could now face vehicular manslaughter or murder charges.