CHP: Deadly crash in Aptos leaves four dead, three severely injured

UPDATE 3/2/15 2:40 p.m.: The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is sharing the names of three of the four people killed in Sunday night’s deadly crash.

Deputies said the driver was Arturo Avalos, 22, of Watsonville. They also confirmed the front passenger was Osbaldo Melgoza-Ortiz, 18, of Watsonville and Teresita Brady, 19, of Watsonville, was sitting on Melgoza-Ortiz’ lap.

Deputies said they aren’t going to publicly identify the 16-year-old victim from Watsonville also killed in the crash.

UPDATE 3/2/15 12:31 p.m.: NewsChannel 5 has learned the name of the driver involved in Sunday night’s deadly crash. Friends said the driver was 22-year-old Arturo Avalos of Watsonville. Administrators at Cabrillo College confirm he was a maintenance worker at the college.

UPDATE 3/2/15 10:17am: Santa Cruz CHP officers are saying the driver of the Mercedes was a 22- year-old man from Watsonville. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The two front passengers also died at the scene, an 18-year-old man from Watsonville, 19-year-old woman from Soquel.

A 16-year-old girl who was in the back seat was taken to Watsonville Community Hospital where she later died.

There were three other passengers in the backseat: An 18-year-old woman from Marina was flown to Valley Medical Center with what CHP is calling severe and life threatening injuries.

CHP said a 17-year-old girl from Watsonville was also flown to San Jose’s Valley Medical Center with severe injuries but was conscious.

A 21-year-old man from Watsonville was taken to Natividad Medical Center with severe and life-threatening injuries, according to officers on scene.

Investigators say none were wearing seat belts and alcohol was a factor.

The driver of the Ford F-150 who was hit by the Mercedes is a 56-year-old man, he was taken Valley Medical Center as well, with severe injuries but CHP is unsure of how critical those are.

Investigators have not charged anyone with any crime at the time of this update.

3/1/15 9:37pm: A deadly head-on collision in Aptos has left four people dead while four others were sent to the hospital, the California Highway Patrol said.

Three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, one pronounced dead at the hospital, CHP said.

The accident happened just after 8 p.m. near Aptos High School on Freedom Boulevard and Valencia Road, CHP said.

Officers say the driver of the Mercedes drove into on-coming traffic, hitting a pick-up truck head-on.

Officers say no one in the Mercedes was wearing a seat belt.

They believe alcohol or drugs were a factor in the collision.