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One killed, two injured in crashes at Oceano Dunes

May 27, 2019

For the third time in a span of a little more than a month, a person has died in an off-road vehicle accident at the Oceano Dunes. [Cal Coast Times]

Kristopher Mancebo, 24, of Tulare died in a crash Sunday afternoon that also injured another man, according to states parks. The off-roading accident was the second injury crash at the Oceano Dunes this weekend.

At about 4 p.m., Mancebo was driving a sand car in a relatively flat area of the Ocean Dunes known as Post 5 1/2 Primaries at 40 to 50 mph, according to state parks. Mancebo had one passenger in his vehicle.

Vehicle failure caused the front end of the sand car to drop and it hit the sand, causing the vehicle to flip end-over-end about three times.

Emergency personnel provided care to the injured passenger before they transported him to the Arroyo Grande Community Hospital emergency room. Officials are not currently disclosing his condition or name.

Emergency personnel pronounced Mancebo dead at the scene of the crash. State parks officials say Mancebo suffered obvious head trauma, though the cause of his death has not yet been determined.

Neither Mancebo, nor the passenger, were wearing helmets, though they were not required to do so.

Last month, a woman died following a five-vehicle crash at the Oceano Dunes, and a man was killed in a single-vehicle accident. On Saturday, a man was airlifted to the hospital after crashing and being found at the bottom of a 50-foot dune.


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My prayers are with the family of these people that were killed and injured. My heart goes out to them. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE obey the posted speed limit of all beaches which is 15 mph! Wear helmets, too! The dunes are fun to play on but they are very deceptive and very dangerous if you are not careful. I work in a trauma center and have seen needless deaths and injuries time and time again! Please have fun but be extremely careful!


5

And again its a person from out of town .. Not possible but maybe dunes should be for locals only .Before reservations can be made should require to watch online video of how to operate a vehicle at the oceano dunes ….Or have a independent company charge 5.00 a person for safety instruction online and at dunes and all people required to show proof of attending on line or in person to ranger before issued a pass to operate vehicle on dunes . Just like in auto racing we have a drivers meeting at every race with track officials before any racing occurs and it includes safety and rough driving or reckless in the pits etc etc


-2

You can make laws, requirements, or whatever you call them but people are going to do mindless (dare I say stupid) things. Whether it’s taking a selfie by a waterfall, leaving kids in a hot car, or not thinking and ignoring helmet requirements. This is a completely tragic, senseless and preventable death. His poor family must be hurting beyond words….

Thank goodness another motorist wasn’t involved and hurt.


8

Thank goodness, the last I looked it’s still legal to do stupid things.


Sometimes it’s illegal to do the SMART thing, such as ignore a rule that instructs to put babies out of sight and out of mind, so busy parents sometimes leave a dozing babe to broil in the back seat as they go about an extra-stressful day. Carseat garbage is a rule I would break if I was a busy young parent. Baby would be where I see, hear, and want it to be, not where Daddy Government says it should be. Darwinism in action, those “leaving kids in a hot car” deaths, so very sadly.


Nature and God make the laws, man makes the rules. Prayers up for the families whose loved ones learned a law on the dunes the hard way, that is the risk they knew they were taking. And keep driving LEGAL on Pismo Dunes, thank you!


0

Just because he is from out of town doesn’t make experienced at atv riding or having experience out there. That kid has spent more time out there and racing behind a wheel than anyone i have met during my 15 years of living in slo county. So by not being a local has nothing to do with it. My current boyfriend has minimal experience out there and hes a native, born and raised. But i do agree that everyone planning to operate an atv out there should def indeed have to take a driver’s training and become certified somehow. Being that most accidents out there are due to carless behavior or not paying attention, this one wasn’t. It was engine mechanical failure. and like i previously said, this kid knows his way around an engine so it’s got nothing to do with being from out of town or inexperienced out there or with Atv.


2

Well said. And also, half the time, folks from the Valley are longer-time seasonal locals than most of the folks who live here now! Many Valley families have been recreating or had 2nd homes in this area for generations. Dune riding has its risks and that’s all there is to it. Safety basics are a courtesy to other riders.


0