The car crash that killed three teenagers and critically injured a Lompoc Valley doctor and his wife on Highway 1 last year has led to multiple lawsuits, including some filed against Santa Barbara County and Caltrans.
The lawsuits filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court name the vehicle drivers along with the county and state as defendants, alleging wrongful death and negligence. Some people and entities named as defendants also are plaintiffs in the tangled web of legal actions stemming from the tragedy.
On May 18, 2025, three teenage boys in a Toyota Yaris were traveling on Highway 1 between Lompoc and Gaviota, returning to Santa Barbara after attending a County Junior Lifeguards training at Jalama Beach County Park…