A late-night wrong-way move on Highway 1 near Moss Landing ended in tragedy last Saturday, leaving three men dead, several others hurt and a pickup driver in handcuffs on suspicion of DUI, according to the California Highway Patrol. The crash shut down the highway north of Springfield Road for hours while first responders worked a chaotic scene in the dark.
How the crash unfolded
CHP officers were called out around 10:15 p.m. to State Route 1 just north of Springfield Road, after reports of a violent collision, CBS News reports. Investigators say a GMC pickup heading south crossed over the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic, clipping a northbound Ford pickup in a sideswipe. Instead of stopping, the GMC kept pushing into the northbound lane, where it slammed head-on into a Honda sedan.
Victims and injuries
The Ford was carrying four people from Watsonville. According to KSBW, a 58-year-old woman in that truck was taken to a hospital with possible injuries, while the three other occupants reported no injuries.
The Honda, which took the full force of the head-on impact, was occupied by three males. Each was transported to a hospital with major injuries and later pronounced dead, KSBW reports. Their names have not been released, as authorities are waiting for the Monterey County Coroner to notify next of kin.
Driver arrested, serious charges filed
CHP identified the GMC driver as 51-year-old David Olaeta. Officers said he showed signs of alcohol intoxication before they took him into custody, according to CBS News. He was first taken to a hospital for evaluation, then booked into Monterey County Jail.
Jail records cited by CBS News show Olaeta was booked on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI causing injury. His bail was set at $600,000.
A deadly stretch of Highway 1
This is not the first fatal head-on collision at that intersection this spring. As detailed by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, a separate deadly crash on April 4 near the same location also involved a head-on collision and left one person dead. In that earlier case, deputies used a drone to help CHP track down people who fled the scene.
The April wreck underscored what local drivers already know: this stretch of Highway 1 has seen repeated, sometimes fatal crashes, and investigators often face an uphill climb trying to piece together what happened, especially when people run.
Ongoing investigation and CHP tip line
CHP says the investigation into Saturday’s crash is still active and is asking anyone who saw the collision or has information to contact its Monterey office at (831) 770-8000, according to KSBW. Highway 1 north of Springfield Road reopened in the early morning hours once crews cleared the wreckage and investigators wrapped up their work at the scene.
