UPDATE (11:45 a.m.) - All lanes of Highway 101 are open in both directions, the California Highway Patrol announced.
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UPDATE (10:08 a.m.) - CHP is reporting all lanes of Southbound Highway 101 are open. One northbound lane is open.
CHP says the crash on Highway 101 in Goleta was caused by a wrong-way driver.
A car heading southbound in the fast lane collided with another vehicle heading northbound in the southbound lanes, according to CHP.
The vehicles caught fire and all three people involved died.
CHP was reporting due to the damage from the fire, investigators were having a difficult time identifying at least one of the vehicles.
Highway 154 remains closed following another crash there Wednesday morning.
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UPDATE: Caltrans reports one northbound lane in the Goleta area has reopened. The southbound lanes remain closed.
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UPDATE: Caltrans has estimated that Highway 101 in Santa Barbara County will fully reopen by noon on Wednesday.
A fatal early-morning crash closed the highway in both directions. Northbound closures were at Winchester Canyon Rd. and southbound closures were at Dos Pueblos Rd.
Traffic was being detoured to Hwy 246 and Hwy 154.
Caltrans says the northbound lanes may open later Wednesday morning. The southbound lanes are expected to reopen around 12 p.m.
The estimated time of re-opening southbound US 101 is approximately 12 noon with the opening of the northbound lanes expected later this morning with details provided when available. NB closure remains at Winchester Canyon/SB at Dos Pueblos Road.@CaltransD5@CHP_SantaBarb https://t.co/3BXdTdLIzu
— Jim Shivers (@PIOJimShivers) August 25, 2021
2 separate Veh acc’s. Acc#1 101 NB @ Winchester resulting in 1 fatality (C/T 0214). Accident #2 101 SB @ El Cap Ranch (C/T 0225) resulting in 3 fatalities. SBC on scene of both, extinguishing fires and extricating victims. Please contact law for details. Call newsline. pic.twitter.com/TXV0V2xSo3
— Daniel Bertucelli (@SBCFireInfo) August 25, 2021
