At least one person is dead and 14 others were injured after a wrong-way driver slammed head-on into a Chumash Casino tour bus on Highway 101 north of Los Alamos early Friday.

The California Highway Patrol said the crash occurred around 3:05 a.m. when the Honda Civic, traveling northbound in the southbound lanes, hit the bus in the fast lane. Both vehicles then erupted in flames.

The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s identity has not been released pending notification of family members.

All 13 passengers and the bus driver were able to exit the vehicle safely before the fire intensified. The bus driver was identified as Rema Alicia Padilla of Santa Maria.

Passengers suffered minor to moderate injuries, and several were transported to Marian Regional Hospital for treatment.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragic collision and the families impacted,” CHP’s Acting Commander Sergeant D. Youngblood, said in a statement to the Santa Barbara News-Press.

“The California Highway Patrol remains committed to conducting a thorough investigation to determine all of the circumstances surrounding this crash and to promoting safe driving behaviors that help prevent tragedies like this.” 

Santa Barbara County Fire Department and other first responders quickly arrived on scene to extinguish the blaze before it reached the bus. All lanes of Highway 101 have since reopened.

Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, told the Santa Barbara News-Press the tribe was grateful that all 14 team members on the bus evacuated safely.

“We are thankful that all 14 of our Team Members were able to safely evacuate the bus, be accounted for following the crash and avoid any further harm,” Kahn said.

“We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to the first responders, law enforcement personnel, and medical teams for their swift and professional response,” he added

The CHP investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing.

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