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Mike Eliason / Santa Barbara News-Press via Zuma
Firefighters rescue a San Juan Capistrano family from a car dangling over a bridge after a fiery crash on Highway 101 near Buellton, Calif.
Mike Eliason / Santa Barbara News-Press
A big rig that burned after going off a bridge on Highway 101 in Califormia on Thursday lays covered with fire-extinguishing foam. The truck driver was killed, but firefighters rescued a mother and her two daughters.
A fiery crash south of Buellton, Calif. on Highway 101 claimed the life of a truck driver Thursday afternoon, but emergency personnel were able to rescue a family of three from a vehicle dangling over the side of the freeway bridge.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the northbound gravel truck, traveling in the fast lane, struck the BMW from behind and then careened off a bridge and into the creek adjacent to the freeway, where it burst into flames, killing the truck driver.
"The BMW was then forced into the center concrete wall where the three parties in the BMW became trapped in the vehicle." said Officer Danny Maher, California Highway Patrol.
Inside the car was Kelli Groves, 36, Sage Groves, 10, and Milo Groves, 10 weeks, and one by one they were extricated from the vehicle that clung to a concrete guardrail above Nojoqui Creek in the Three Bridges area.
The Santa Maria Times and KSBY-TV contributed to the report.
A team of Navy Seabees happened to drive by just in time to help save a mother and her two children. NBC's Mike Taibbi reports.
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How horribly scary for this Mom and her children. I'm sorry the trucker lost his life. I am surprized more accidents don't happen involving truckers. A lot of them tailgate and push thier way thru traffic. I get really upset when I'm pushed around by truckers who can't control the stick in thier hand. What was he doing in the fast lane. Gads, this lady and her kids almost lost thier lives.
How about a little more respect for the dead trucker ?? According to the CHP, the BMW was in the left lane and the truck was in the right lane (see SantaMariaTimes.com). You were not there, so you don't know who caused the accident. Don't assume it was the truckers fault just because you've been "pushed around by truckers". Somehow they collided. Maybe the trucker was speeding and lost control. Not too likely since the local trucker was familiar with the notoriously dangerous "Three Bridges" area of the 101. OR maybe the BMW was going slow since she is probably less familiar with the area and maybe, just maybe, she momentarily swerved in the path of the trucker while trying to deal with her restless young children in the back seat. Maybe one of the drivers was texting or talking on a cell. Since you were not there, DON'T ASSUME IT WAS THE TRUCKERS FAULT !!!
Great, but sad, Breaking News Photos!
I know Mike Eliason, and he's one darned good News Phrog. He taught my photojournalism class at SBCC, and I learned about what it takes to get it to the people from Mike. I pass over this bridge quite often, the downhill grade is quite steep and a few miles long just prior to where this accident occured; the truck driver may have lost his brakes.
A traumatic and sad day for the family that was trapped and for the truck drivers family as well.
The grade isn't that steep and it is MILES away from where this crash happened. Loss of brakes is NOT what happened in this case. I live in Buellton and the site is closer to me than the Nojoqui grade is.
According to the CHP, the truck was empty when the accident took place, so loss of brakes is highly unlikely.
An amazing rescue. These people are heroes, doing a job that takes nerves of steel. It doesn't say how the family is doing, but hopefully they will be okay. Prayers to the family and to the truck driver who lost his life and his family as well.
Photojournalism at its best. The photo tells the whole story -- terror and anguish hoisted into the hands of calculated bravery. Mike captured it all.
Holy cow. As a photographer myself, I admire the man who took these photos and I'm glad to hear that the family survived. They're very lucky. I'm sad to hear that the truck driver died however.
Great effort by the rescuers! This is what their job is all about. Too bad about the trucker, but I have to agree with a previous poster and ask why was he in the fast lane? That's one of the scary things about driving anywhere that big trucks travel. Some highways out there have runaway ramps, even where there aren't any the ditches aren't that deep in a lot of places. Sad.
Chix.Am I right fellas?hahha UMAD?