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Four die in Christmas Eve crash near Paso Robles

December 25, 2014

ambulanceFour people died following a collision between a minivan and semi-truck Wednesday evening on Highway 101 near Paso Robles. [KSBY]

The crash occurred when the semi tried to turn left into the San Paso truck stop by crossing the southbound lane of the highway, according to CHP investigators. The truck hit the minivan, which was traveling in the southbound lane.

After the collision, the minivan rolled off the highway and appeared to land upside down.

Officials have not yet released any of the identities of the victims. The crash remains under investigation.


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Have any of you heard of “defensive driving”? The responders to my comment are missing my point. The van hit the trailer about midway. That means the truck/trailer was more than half way across the lanes. Yes, the trucker should have waited. However, there is about a 1 mile straight stretch leading up to that intersection and it is obvious the trucker didn’t suddenly turn in front of the van. Moving slowly, the driver of the van should have seen the trucker and began to slow or move to the left to go around the back end of the trailer. At some point, you have to drive defensively. Just because you are driving down the freeway doesn’t always mean you should assume all other drivers are driving perfectly. This is all “Monday morning quarterbacking” of course but there is just something strange about running into the side of the truck after it has already been in the intersection for several seconds, perfectly visible to all oncoming traffic. What if it had made the turn long before any traffic came along and it had broken down and was stopped there…then someone came along and hit it? Whose fault would it be then?


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The van, according to a witness I talked to, ran into the side of the big rig trailer about midway. This means the truck was darn near all the way across the highway when it got hit. How do you NOT notice a truck driving across the highway?


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perspicacious: we drive that stretch 2X daily, M-F.


Trust me, I’ve seen trucks/motorhomes crossing that hwy (many times, at least 2x a week) when they should NOT be because the traffic’s moving through there at 70mph.


Maybe it’s hard for the truckers to gauge the speed of oncoming cars but this accident wasn’t the minivan’s fault. I myself have had to SLAM on the brakes at that same spot because of semi’s crossing…the cab makes it fine but the trailer’s left blocking the hwy.


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Over the years I have talked to members of the Camp Roberts Fire Dept. who routinely responds to traffic accidents along that stretch of hwy. They have indicated that in a great number of cases, the accidents were the result of driver fatigue. From King City to Paso is a long stretch. This may have played a part as well.


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Yes, I guess the trucker could’ve been fatigued. He was heading north, though, not from King City to Paso. And those poor mini-van passengers had only been on the road for 5 min.,only coming from San Miguel.


It will be interesting to hear where he was based and how many miles he had already traveled before making that ill-fated left turn. Very sad for all involved.


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Perhaps the trucker misjudges the speed of the van. It’s easy to do considering the topography…very few fixed objects could have resulted in a bit of hwy spatial disorientation.

I hope we can all learn from this terrible tragedy.


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There are so many beautiful things going on….and I do not mean to downplay this tragedy, but….SERIOUSLY???? Does the news always have to intentionally seek the happiest time of the year to rub our face in tragedy? Yes; they do. The news is specifically designed to make people feel like the vibes are bad….all year round in fact. Why would they do this? Why is the news so negative all the time? Because: most people are caught in the illusion of The American DREAM. A major part of that dream is becoming like a psychological vampire. Lick you lips…..there are many more horrendous tragedies coming to whet your morbid appetite.


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Well thank you for your consideration, and I’m sure if it was your family you would like to know…enjoy your holidays..


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Then why are you on this site clicking on the story? You are a real piece of work. LOL!


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You go, indigo. You go tell George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” that he picked the wrong time of year to have severe financial woes. And then explain to his dear wife, Mary, that it simply isn’t fair for the rest of us utopian seekers to be forced to “put up” with watching others suffer. Take their troubles someplace else. Kind of ruins the “spirit of the holidays,” right? The nerve of people strutting their troubles at this “joyous” time of year. Naughty them! Who are you, 1955?


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Wellsona/Hwy 101 is a very, very dangerous intersection.


There are many slow motorhomes pulling in/out from the RV resort on one side and semi-trucks entering/exiting the truck stop on the other side.


Not saying it would help much but a few signs and flashing yellow lights couldn’t hurt.


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This area is within the San Miguel Advisory Council and we have asked repeatedly that more be done for this intersection; however not much has been done outside of putting up a bigger caution sign. This intersection is also listed by SLOCOG as an intersection that needs improvement and they are recommending upgrading it to a regular freeway interchange, but last time I checked they are not planning on funding the project until after 2025! I understand that those projects cost several millions of dollars, but how many more people must get hurt or die before we can even get the ball rolling on funding?


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Look how long its taken to fix Hwy 46. Remember the sign in the early 80’s that said….”Welcome To Blood Ally?”

It’s a sad reminder of how slow the bureaucratic process can be..and how unnecessarily deadly.


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Arkalvans, do you have any accident statistics for this intersection?


We have a state government that is giving our tax dollars away right and left to illegal immigrants, and encouraging more to come to California. More people need more roads.


The city of Paso continues to add event/entertainment centers, hotels, RV parks along the highways against the concerns of Cal Trans. Not one new highway overpass has been built in or near Paso in decades. Yet, the traffic increases and more people are crossing the highways. Just look at the additional winery traffic in rural areas.


Highway 101 with no access roads and no full shoulders and few overpasses is a creature from the 1960’s.


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Excellent suggestion. There have been a number of multiple fatalities at that intersection over the years.

Condolences to the victims family and loved ones.


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An awful tragedy


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Dear God…comfort the family and all involved.


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How can anyone put a negative on this kind comment?


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Because they had the audacity to mention “God”.


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