On April 17, 2010 at about 8:54 pm, a major injury traffic collision involving a Ventura County Sheriff’s Department patrol vehicle and a GMC pickup truck occurred on SR-126 west of Timber Canyon Rd.

Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy William Meixner and his partner Deputy Beau Rodriguez had just completed a traffic stop on eastbound SR-126 near Willard Rd. The deputies were traveling eastbound west of Timber Canyon Rd. when a red GMC pickup truck made a sudden left turn out of a driveway directly into the path of the patrol vehicle. Deputy Meixner attempted to avoid a collision with the GMC by applying his brakes and steering to the left. Deputy Meixner was unable to avoid the collision and the front end of the patrol vehicle struck the left side of the GMC. The GMC overturned ejecting the driver, Mayra Tellez age 22 of Santa Paula. The GMC came to rest on its left side in the two way turn lane on SR-126. The patrol vehicle traveled northbound across SR-126 and struck a guardrail. The patrol vehicle came to rest on the westbound right shoulder. Tellez’s boyfriend, Jose Velasquez Diaz age 27 of Santa Paula, was the passenger and was able to climb out of the vehicle after the collision. The two deputies were trapped in the patrol vehicle and had to be extricated by the fire department.

Both deputies and Tellez sustained major injuries in the collision were transported by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center. Diaz was transported to Community Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released for minor injuries.

SR-126 was closed from Hallock Dr. to E St. in Fillmore while the CHP investigated the collision. Traffic was detoured to South Mountain Rd. The roadway was opened at 2:20 am. The collision is still under investigation.