Two Lompoc women are dead, with a third suffering major injuries and facing charges related to a Thanksgiving Day crash on Highway 246 at Mission Gate Road east of Lompoc, according to the California Highway Patrol.

None of the women have been identified by the CHP, and no information about the nature of their injuries has been released.

The CHP released little new information Friday, but did disclose that the passenger in a Ford Escape SUV had succumbed to her injuries Thursday at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. The 54-year-old driver of the SUV had died at the scene of the accident and was pronounced dead by a paramedic at 1:45 p.m. Thursday, about 20 minutes after the accident.

The two women were eastbound when they were hit by a westbound Nissan Sentra that went out of control and smashed into the front of the SUV. A 21-year-old Lompoc woman, who was driving the westbound Nissan, was arrested after witnesses told authorities she was speeding, following too closely and driving erratically, according to the CHP. She was admitted to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with major injuries.

According to the CHP, the Nissan ran off the right side of the road and into a field, then back across the highway and into the eastbound lane, where the front of the eastbound Ford collided with the side of the sedan.

The Nissan came to rest blocking the eastbound lane and the Ford spun onto the southern shoulder of the Highway, CHP said. The eastbound lane was blocked for about an hour and a half, authorities said.

November 29, 2008

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