SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY — On Thursday, Sept. 12, at approximately 12:59 p.m., the San Luis Obispo California Highway Patrol (CHP) Communications Center received an automatic crash notification from an iPhone indicating a solo vehicle accident on State Route 58, east of State Route 229. Emergency crews arrived to find a female driver pinned inside an overturned pickup truck. She was extricated and transported to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Trista Loftus of Nipomo. No other vehicles were involved, and distracted driving does not appear to have been a factor. Speed is believed to be the primary cause of the crash, and failure to use a seatbelt likely contributed to the severity of the injuries. It is currently unknown if alcohol or drugs were involved. The investigation is ongoing.
