A key east-west highway in Santa Barbara County is open again, after being closed for more than five hours by a head on crash involving a van, and a big rig.
The accident happened at around 6:30 Tuesday morning on Highway 166 between Santa Maria and Cuyama. CHP officers say a westbound van was trying to pass a vehicle on a curve near Tepusquet Road, when it slammed head on into an eastbound big rig.
The driver of the van was killed. His name hasn’t been released yet. The driver of the big rig was seriously injured. The accident spilled gravel being carried in the big rig, leading to a five hour closure of the highway. It reopened at around one Tuesday afternoon.