SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. — A tragic discovery was made late Wednesday morning when two men were found dead inside an overturned pickup truck hidden in dense brush off Highway 166. The vehicle was spotted around 10:30 a.m. by a CalTrans worker, concealed down an embankment and out of view from the roadway.
Emergency crews responded swiftly but confirmed both occupants had succumbed to fatal injuries sustained in the crash. The San Luis Obispo County Coroner’s Office is working alongside the Santa Maria office of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to identify the victims.
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Investigators believe the wrecked vehicle may be connected to an ongoing missing persons investigation initiated earlier this month by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office. Efforts to locate the vehicle on June 18, including ground searches and aerial surveillance, were unsuccessful due to the truck’s obscured location amid thick vegetation and steep terrain.
The exact circumstances leading to the crash remain under active investigation, and officials have not yet disclosed how long the vehicle may have been there before its discovery.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the crash or the missing persons case to contact the Santa Maria CHP or San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.
This tragic event highlights the dangers posed by remote and difficult-to-access roadways like Highway 166, where limited visibility can hinder rescue and recovery operations.