Two people were hospitalized Tuesday afternoon after a head-on collision on Highway 154 near Painted Cave Road. The crash involved two Teslas and a Subaru and temporarily shut down the mountain highway.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver of a blue Tesla had been using Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode before the crash, but took manual control of the vehicle as he accelerated in order to pass.
“A driver in a blue Tesla utilizing Full Self-Driving mode didn’t have his hands on the wheel and hit the gas so he could pass a car,” said CHP spokesperson Jonathan Gutierrez. “Then as he went around the curve, the Tesla driver changed lanes into oncoming traffic.”
That’s when the blue Tesla — headed west toward Santa Ynez — sideswiped an eastbound white Tesla. Then, in quick succession, the blue Tesla collided head-on with a Subaru coming up the highway, eastbound toward Santa Barbara.
The driver of the Subaru sustained major injuries. “The driver of the Subaru has both a tibia and fibula fracture as well as an ankle fracture,” Gutierrez said.
The blue Tesla driver had moderate injuries, he added. Both were transported by ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Their names and current conditions have not been released.
Two dogs were in the blue Tesla at the time of the crash. They were not injured and were later taken to the Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter in Goleta.
The collision briefly sparked a vehicle fire, according to emergency radio traffic. The CHP has not announced any citations or charges as of Thursday afternoon. The investigation remains ongoing.
Clarification: This story was updated on Nov. 3, 2025, to clarify directions of travel.
