A 22-year-old Santa Maria man died after the vehicle he was driving rolled over near the intersection of North Blosser Road and Eagleton Avenue in northwest Santa Maria on the night of Sunday, August 30, 2026. Emmanuel Gomez Cortes and a 40-year-old male passenger were both ejected when the single vehicle overturned and came to rest in the center divider. Cortes was taken to Marian Regional Medical Center, where he died from his injuries; his passenger suffered major injuries but is expected to recover. Santa Maria Police say alcohol may have been a factor in the crash, and toxicology results are still pending.
According to Noozhawk, Santa Maria Police Department Sergeant Shane Armstrong said the passenger is expected to recover from his injuries as the investigation continues. Noozhawk also reported that the Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Bureau is running toxicology tests to determine whether drugs, in addition to alcohol, played a role in the crash. Investigators with the Santa Maria Police Department’s Traffic Unit are asking anyone with information about the collision to come forward. No arrests have been announced, and authorities have not released further details about what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway.
