CHP asking for help in finding driver who caused fatal Hwy. 126 collision
October 19, 2011
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
The California Highway Patrol is asking the public’s help in locating a non-contact hit-and-run driver who caused a fatal traffic accident Friday on Highway 126.
According to CHP Officer Steve Reid, the October 14 collision occurred at 11:20 a.m. at Old Telegraph Road near the city of Fillmore.
Reid said Ionut Rusu, 30 of Burnaby, British Columbia, was driving a big-rig truck and trailer traveling westbound on the highway in the #1 lane approaching Old Telegraph Road. “Rusu was on his way to Oxnard to pick up a load of pineapples” in his big-rig, and as he was traveling westbound “a vehicle described by a witness as a gold Nissan Murano” approached the highway traveling south on Old Telegraph Road west of the city of Fillmore, where there is a popular fruit stand.
The driver of the Nissan “failed to stop at the stop sign and turned right onto westbound” Highway 126, “directly in the path of Rusu’s truck.” Reid said Rusu applied his brakes and steered left in an attempt to avoid a collision with the Nissan, and the big-rig veered into the eastbound lanes into the path of a blue Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.
The driver, 50-year-old old Eusebio Esparza Martinez Jr. of Oak View, saw Rusu’s truck headed directly towards him and took evasive action by steering to the right, but was unable to avoid Rusu’s truck. Reid said the front end of Rusu’s truck struck the driver’s side of Martinez’s pickup truck and pushed it onto a dirt and grass area adjacent the highway.
The Silverado was hit with such force that it broke apart the vehicle and severed the truck bed from the cab. Passersby stopped and tried to offer aid to Martinez, who was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The highway - where one westbound lane was already closed due to maintenance work - was declared a crime scene.
The eastbound lanes were blocked by Rusu’s truck and traffic diverted into a westbound lane, and the closed lane was opened to handle westbound traffic. Portions of the highway were shut down and traffic diverted for almost five hours for the investigation and later removal of the wreckage.
The Nissan fled the collision scene traveling westbound on SR-126. The identity of the driver of the gold Nissan that cut off Rusu and fled the scene is unknown, and Reid said, “The CHP is requesting information from the public regarding this collision. Anyone who witnessed or has any information regarding this collision” is asked to contact the Ventura Area CHP office at (805) 477-4100.
