Ivan Garcia-Pineda and Ricardo Mejia Flores Die in Santa Maria Crash on East Clark Avenue

2 Men Killed in Santa Maria Accident Identified

Santa Maria, California: 24-year-old Ivan Garcia-Pineda and his brother-in-law 35-year-old Ricardo Mejia Flores were identified as the men who died Monday afternoon in a crash on East Clark Avenue in Santa Maria.

Police said the wreck occurred around 2:15 p.m. in the 2600 block of East Clark Avenue just east of Presquile Road.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the two men were in a 2007 Honda Fit traveling eastbound on Clark Avenue and came to a stop in lanes attempting to make a left turn.

At the same time, a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Andres Perez of Santa Maria was heading in the same direction when the driver failed to slow down and hit the back of the Honda.

The impact pushed the Honda into opposing traffic and directly into the path of a westbound 2018 Ram truck driven by Hermenegildo Villegas Ramirez of Santa Maria. The truck hit the right side of the Honda.

One of the deceased was a passenger in the right front seat of the Honda. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other man was the driver of the Honda. He was taken to Marian Regional Medical Center where he later died of his injuries.

Another passenger in the Honda’s back seat was critically injured. He was hospitalized in unknown condition.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing.