Motorist’s Seizure Causes 3-Car Crash

A Santa Barbara woman suffering a seizure swerved her Mercedes convertible across several lanes of the Ventura Freeway causing multiple accidents and traffic tie-ups during rush-hour traffic Wednesday morning, the California Highway Patrol said.

Two southbound lanes of the Ventura Freeway near Telephone Road were closed for nearly half an hour after Ananda Zaren, 50, lost control of her car about 9 a.m., the CHP said. Traffic was backed up about a mile, authorities said.

Zaren lost control of her car in the passing lane and veered right into a Lincoln Continental driven by Douglas Boteler, 75, of Camarillo, police said.

Boteler’s car then spun out of control and slammed into an Isuzu Trooper driven by Peter Escobar, 30, of Ventura, police said. The Lincoln and Isuzu then hit the center divider, the CHP said.

Zaren’s car went off the freeway, through a chain-link fence and onto Valentine Road. Her car continued southbound before breaking back through the fence and reentering the freeway. The vehicle finally came to rest in the middle of the road, authorities said.

Zaren was treated at Ventura County Medical Center and released, hospital officials said. Boteler and Escobar did not need medical attention, the CHP said.

The three cars were severely damaged.

All lanes of the Ventura Freeway were reopened by about 9:30 a.m.