Photo: scene of crash
November 4, 2021 – Santa Barbara County, Ca.
On the evening of October 26 th , California Highway Patrol units responded to the scene of a 7:30 p.m. high-speed collision on a residential street in the City of Goleta. According to Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Daniel Bertucelli, four vehicles were involved in the wreck and that “heavy extrication” was needed to remove the victims from their vehicles.
CHP investigators determined that 31-year-old Goleta resident Andrew Raymond Burgher was eastbound on Cathedral Oaks Road at a high rate of speed when his Toyota 4-Runner slammed into the back of a 2002 Ford Mustang occupied by 40-year-old Santa Barbara resident Gilberto Arteaga-Gutierrez and his passenger, 45-year-old Lompoc resident Silvia Velasco.
According to CHP spokesman Patrol Officer Jonathan Gutierrez, following the initial impact “the Mustang spun clockwise and struck two parked vehicles.” Both Arteaga-Gutierrez and Velasco were pronounced dead at the scene.
Prior to his transport to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital by emergency medical response unit, Burgher was determined to be heavily intoxicated at the time of the collision. Burgher, with two prior misdemeanor DUI convictions, was later transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was booked on multiple charges of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter, and felony driving under the influence causing bodily injury. He remains in custody with his bail set at $2,000,000.
Photo: Courtesy Santa Barbara County Fire Department
