A Salinas Valley farmworker was killed and six other people were sent to hospitals Wednesday when a truck smashed head-on into a car on Alisal Road outside Salinas, California.
The California Highway Patrol said the crash happened shortly before 7a.m. about a mile north of Hartnell Road.
Juan DeLeon Alcantar, 43, was pronounced dead at the scene after a Chevrolet Silverado stuck his Toyota Camry, the CHP said.
The driver of the Silverado, Jose Tinoco, 68, of San Luis, Ariz., was driving north on Alisal Road when the truck crossed over the double yellow lines, officers said. The truck sideswiped a Honda Accord traveling south and continued, colliding head-on with the Toyota.
Two of Alcantar’s passengers, Jose Ricardo DeLeon, 33, and Guadalupe Montoya, 33, suffered major injuries and were taken to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, the CHP said. A third passenger, Javier Escobar, 38, suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Natividad Medical Center.
All of the men in the Toyota are from Salinas, and Monterey County coroner’s officials said the men were headed to Chualar to work in the lettuce fields.
Tinoco suffered minor injuries in the crash and was taken to Natividad Medical Center.
The driver of the Honda, Yesenia Flores, 21, of Salinas, suffered minor injuries when her car skidded out of control and went into a drainage ditch, the CHP said. She was also taken to Natividad.
A passenger in Flores’ car, Juana Robles, 20, of Salinas, was taken to
Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, but CHP officers did not say if she was injured.
The CHP said there was fog at the time of the crash but the cause of the collision is under investigation.
Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the CHP Salinas office at 796-2100.
Salinas California Truck Accident and Car Accident Attorney Website