MARCH 17, 2015
VENTURA, CALIFORNIA
Three people were
killed after a Mercedes-Benz traveling at a high-rate of speed crashed head-on
into a Honda and spit in half on the Pacific Coast Highway in Ventura early
Tuesday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Three people were
killed in a multi-vehicle car crash on PCH near Point Mugu State Park on March
17, 2015. (Credit: KTLA)
The violent crash
occurred shortly after midnight just south of Mugu Rock, Ventura CHP Sgt. David
Hong said.
Witnesses told CHP
that a black Mercedes was speeding down the highway in a northerly direction
when it lost control near La Jolla Canyon Road, according to Hong.
The vehicle then
began spinning in a counter-clockwise direction and collided head-on with a
Honda that was headed in the opposite direction.
“The Mercedes was
cut in half,” Hong said. “The front end was spun around. The rear end went
toward the rocks toward the ocean. And the driver was partially ejected.”
Three male occupants
in the two cars — the driver in the Mercedes and a driver and passenger in the
Honda — were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names have not been released.
According to Hong,
investigators initially did not realize that the Mercedes had split in two and
believed a third-vehicle was involved.
Hours after the
crash, the mangled wreckage of the Mercedes and the Honda remained on the
highway, which was completely shut down for nearly two hours while CHP
investigated the crash.
The northbound lanes
were reopened around 1:45 a.m., according to the log. By 4 a.m., all lanes were
open again.
The cause of the
crash remained under investigation, but according to witness accounts, extremely high
speed by the Mercedes driver (now dead-his estate will pay for damages) is the
main factor of this tragedy.