A driver was killed in a rollover crash on Highway 1 near Vandenberg Village Tuesday morning.
It happened just after 10 a.m. in the northbound lanes just south of the Constellation Road offramp.
According to the California Highway Patrol, it appears the driver of a Jaguar was heading southbound on the highway when, for unknown reasons, they crossed over the grassy median and into oncoming traffic, colliding with a minivan.
The Jaguar landed upside down just off the roadway. Officers say the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the minivan was taken to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries.
The highway was shut down between Constellation Road and Hancock Drive while officers conducted their investigation and remained closed as of 11:30 a.m.
Officers said it was too early to tell whether the wet roads or speed may have been contributing factors in the collision.
In a separate crash in the area, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department reports a vehicle with four people went off the road also near the Constellation Road offramp at around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. None of the family members were said to be injured.
The number of crashes in the area is more than double the number reported in the same area last year.
KSBY requested statistics from the California Highway Patrol for the area along Highway 1 south of Constellation Road.
CHP reports that of Dec. 19, 33 crashes had been reported in the area with 25 of those crashes having happened during wet or rainy conditions.
Injuries were reported in 14 of the crashes.
In 2023, 16 crashes were reported at this location, up from 10 in 2022.
Due to the increase in crashes this year, CHP reports they have been placing patrols in the area during inclement weather, including on Tuesday. The agency is also reportedly working with Caltrans to identify possible improvements to the highway.
