Hailstorm Sparks String of Accidents
A freak hailstorm Thursday dumped an inch of miniature ice balls along U.S. 101 at the Santa Barbara County line, setting off a string of car accidents during the morning commute.
Twenty cars were damaged as startled motorists hit the brakes and skidded, said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Doug Howell. Maragda Santillana, 19, a volleyball player from Barcelona, Spain, was injured and in fair condition at a local hospital.
The hail was isolated to a quarter-mile patch of the freeway. It lasted only minutes and affected only the southbound lanes.
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