CHP identifies woman killed in big-rig crash at notorious Highway 101 intersection

California Highway Patrol has identified the woman killed in a crash at a notoriously deadly intersection on Highway 101 on Wednesday.

Paso Robles resident Brianna Mae Thomas was killed in a collision with a big rig Wednesday afternoon, according to a CHP news release

The crash occurred at 12:15 p.m. on northbound Highway 101 near the Wellsona Truck Stop intersection between Paso Robles and San Miguel, where 6 people died in collisions between 2012 and 2016, spurring plans to build an underpass at the site.

Crash Location on Highway 101

This map shows the location of a fatal crash at the Wellsona Road intersection on Highway 101.

Map created with the assistance of ChatGPT.

The collision occurred when Thomas was driving eastbound on Wellsona Road and proceeded straight through the intersection northbound Highway 101, according to the news release.

At the same time, 44-year-old Justin Levi Adams of Pahrump, Nevada, was driving a big rig northbound on the highway in the second lane, the release said.

The release said Thomas did not yield to the right-of-way of the truck and drove directly into Adams’ path.

The big rig did not have time to slow or stop, subsequently hitting the right front door of Thomas’s car, the release said.

Following the crash, her car came to a rest in the left lane and partially within the center divider north of Wellsona Road, the release said. The big rig stopped on the east shoulder of the highway just north of Wellsona Road.

Debris from the crash was at least partially blocking traffic lanes, according to CHP.

Twenty minutes after the crash, diesel from the big rig was spilling onto the highway shoulder, according to the CHP Traffic Incident Information page.

By 1:08 p.m., the spill had been stopped and contained, according to traffic incident reports.

CHP spokesperson Patrick Seebart said it is unknown if drugs and or alcohol played a roll in the crash. An investigation is ongoing.