Jan
2
On January 2, 2008 at approximately 1:50 AM, a two-officer CHP unit was patrolling northbound on US 101 at Mission Street when they observed a gray Honda CRV entering northbound US 101 from Mission Street just ahead of them. The Honda immediately drove into the left (#1) lane and accelerated to 85-90 miles per hour (MPH). When the officers activated the patrol car’s red emergency lights to stop the Honda, it immediately accelerated to 110-120 MPH.
The Honda maintained 110-120 MPH from SR 154 to Glen Annie Road, a distance of approximately seven miles, with the pursuing CHP officers directly behind with their code-three lights and siren activated. Approximately 1/2 mile north of Glen Annie Road, the Honda without warning changed from the left lane to the right (#2) lane occupied by a 1994 Freightliner Tractor-Trailer Rig approximately 300 feet ahead. The Honda did not brake and it slammed directly into the rear trailer of the big rig at approximately 110-120 MPH.
The driver of the Honda, 20 year old Ryan Nicholas Hofmann of Santa Barbara, was killed instantly. The driver of the big rig, 47 year old Juan Jose Flores of Bakersfield was uninjured. Mr. Flores was traveling from southern California to San Luis Obispo to pick up a load of cargo at the time the truck was struck by the Honda. There were no other occupants of either vehicle.
Due to the unusual circumstances of this collision and the death of Mr. Hofmann, the CHP and the Santa Barbara County Coroner?s Department are attempting to determine whether or not this was a completed suicide attempt. No other vehicles were involved and Mr. Flores was uninjured.
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