Police Seeking Driver in Ventura Wrong-Way Hit-Run

Authorities are still searching for the wrong-way driver who hit a car head-on and then ran from the scene Friday on California 126 east of Wells Road in Ventura.

California Highway Patrol officials in Ventura impounded the unidentified driver’s 1985 Nissan Sentra and on Saturday were investigating leads as to his whereabouts, CHP Officer Ward Sterling said.

The driver of an MGB who was traveling west on California 126 suffered moderate injuries in the 8:30 p.m. crash and was taken to Ventura County Medical Center for treatment.

CHP officials say the wrong-way driver probably entered California 126 at Wells Road and drove east in the westbound lanes for about a mile. After avoiding collisions with several vehicles, he slammed head-on into the sports car in the fast lane, CHP spokesman Don Hatch said.

The driver of the Nissan ran from the scene, perhaps into a field on the north side of the highway. The Ventura Police Department and a helicopter from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the search for the driver, but authorities were not able to find him, Sterling said.

It is not clear whether the wrong-way driver was injured in the crash. “By the looks of the car, he should have been,” Sterling said.