2nd Person Dies After Highway 1 Head-On Collision

CASTROVILLE - A passenger succumbed to her injuries Wednesday from a head-on collision allegedly involving marijuana on state Highway 1 near Castroville earlier this week, a California Highway Patrol spokesman said.

Lilian Scott, 20, of Colorado, was one of seven people inside a 2010 Lexus GX 460 that collided with a 2013 Mazda3 on the highway north of Molera Road around 12:10 p.m. Monday, CHP Officer Oscar Loza said.

Scott was pronounced dead around 2:30 p.m.Wednesday, according to Loza.

Lynnea Hernandez, 19, of Santa Cruz was driving the Lexus south at high speeds and steered into a northbound lane while throwing a cigarette out of her window, Loza said.

Hernandez collided with the front of the Mazda driven by 24-year-old Prunedale resident Nikolas Agustin Malliarodakis, who suffered blunt force trauma injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Loza.

Hernandez, Scott and the other Lexus passengers were all transported to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas, the spokesman said.

Six of the seven people in the Lexus told investigators they smoked marijuana while on the road and Hernandez admitted she took prescription medicine at noon, Loza said.

Hernandez was arrested on suspicion of DUI resulting in injury or death, gross negligent manslaughter and possession of methamphetamine, Loza said.

The 19-year-old driver was subsequently transported to Stanford Hospital to be treated for major injuries that consist of a lacerated liver, hip pain and pelvic fractures, according to Loza.

The suspect driver had a Texas driver's license and has an address there, however the vehicle was registered to someone who she had lived with, Loza said.

Another passenger, 19-year-old Sarah Cameron of Santa Cruz, was arrested for allegedly hiding a makeup bag containing marijuana and Ecstasy in a field found through the help of a witness, Loza said.

The Ecstasy pills were crushed and it's not clear if they were connected with a recent drug bust in Santa Cruz, according to Loza.

Cameron was booked into Monterey County Jail on suspicion of destroying or concealing evidence and has since been released, according to jail records.

Scott and another Lexus passenger were later transported to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose for major injuries, Loza said.

A 19-year-old Colorado woman who was in the Lexus remains at Natividad Medical Center and the other surviving passengers have been released as of Wednesday afternoon, the spokesman said.

Investigators are looking to speak with any witnesses, who are asked to call the Monterey area CHP office at (831) 796-2100.

-Bay City News,