A deadly Sunday night collision on State Route 152 at Casserly Road east of Watsonville left two teenagers dead and two young men hospitalized with major injuries, according to authorities. The two teens in a Toyota Camry died at the scene, while the two occupants of an Infiniti G37 were rushed to hospitals. The driver of one vehicle was arrested as California Highway Patrol investigators look into whether alcohol or drugs played a role. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner is withholding the victims' names until families are notified.
Crash details
California Highway Patrol officers were called to the intersection of SR-152 and Casserly Road at about 8:47 PM after a white 2011 Infiniti G37 and a gray 2026 Toyota Camry collided, East Bay Times reported. The Camry's two occupants, a 19-year-old man who was driving and a 17-year-old female passenger, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the outlet. CHP officers shut down the highway while investigators documented the scene and collected evidence.
Victims and hospitalizations
The CHP told KSBW that the Infiniti's driver, a 19-year-old Watsonville man, sustained major injuries and was taken by ground ambulance to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas. His passenger, described as a man in his early 20s, was airlifted to Valley Medical Center in Santa Clara for treatment.
Investigation
According to a CHP social media post cited by SFGATE, the Infiniti driver was placed under arrest and remained in custody while officers work to determine whether alcohol and or drugs contributed to the crash. Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact CHP dispatch at (831) 796-2160.
Why this stretch is dangerous
The section of SR-152 east of Casserly Road near Interlaken has been flagged in the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission's Rural Highways Safety Plan as an area with high crash exposure. The planning document cites narrow shoulders, few alternate routes and fast-moving traffic as contributing factors. Local officials have been pursuing resurfacing projects, targeted traffic enforcement and other corridor improvements in an effort to cut down on severe collisions.
What comes next
CHP investigators are still working to piece together the sequence of events that led to the deadly collision, and the Sheriff-Coroner will release the victims' names once their families have been notified, East Bay Times reported. Authorities are also asking anyone who may have dash-cam footage or who witnessed the crash to contact CHP dispatch at (831) 796-2160.
