Two people died in a two-car crash Sunday night at the intersection of East Lake Avenue and Casserly Road.
California Highway Patrol officer Israel Murillo said the crash happened around 8:45pm between a white Infiniti sedan and a gray Toyota sedan.
According to Murillo, a 19-year-old man from Watsonville was driving west on East Lake Avenue in the white Infiniti east of Casserly Road at an undetermined speed. A man in his 20s was a passenger.
Meanwhile, a 19-year-old man from Capitoila was driving east in a 2026 Toyota Camry in the intersection at an undetermined speed, with a 17-year-old girl as a passenger.
The two in the Toyota died that ended up crushed beneath a large billboard sign on the dirt shoulder. Two others in the Infiniti suffered major injuries. One of them was picked up by CALSTAR air ambulance at a staging area at the nearby Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds while the other was taken by American Medical Response ambulance to an out of county trauma center.
A swarm of firefighters struggled for close to an hour to extricate injured people from the Infiniti. One young man they hoisted from the caved in sedan appeared to be conscious and was able to answer questions.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Alcohol and/or drugs are being investigated as possible factors in this crash. The driver of the Infiniti was placed under arrest and is still in custody.
The heavily travelled intersection was strewn with car parts, including two bumper sections, license plates, shattered glass, paneling and engine parts. Firefighters had to saw the roofs off of both vehicles in order to access the victims.
East Lake Avenue (Hwy 152) was shut down in both directions for hours. Scores of motorists trying to get to Gilroy and Morghan Hill from Watsonville had to turn around and head to Highway 129.
Cal Fire, who headed up the rescue operation, was joined by Watsonville Fire while the CHP had about eight officers working the scene.
Anyone with information is asked to call CHP dispatch at 831.796.2160.
