CAR CRASH: Distracted Driver Fatally Rear-Ends another Car in Highway 154
November 23, 2010
Santa Barbara – A Santa Maria man died Monday after getting into a rear-end crash on Highway 154 earlier, which was reportedly caused by a distracted driver, authorities said.
The crash occurred around 10:30 am at the intersection of 154 and Edison Road. Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Office reported that John Schrader, 51, was in his 2004 Honda and was resting at a stop sign when a Ford truck failed to stop, drove through the intersection, and crashed into the Honda.
Sgt. Tom Mullen of Buellton CHP said the 47-year-old truck driver did not see the stop sign because he briefly took his eyes off the road to reach for something that he dropped. The truck crashed at 55 miles per hour, causing the Honda to spin off the highway.
Schrader was dead at the scene, while the truck driver was uninjured. He voluntarily submitted himself to a blood test but turned negative for alcohol or drugs. He could however face possible charges for vehicular manslaughter.
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