Monterey County – A head-on collision near Salinas claimed the lives of three students Sunday night, leaving families and universities mourning the sudden loss.
The Sunday night silence outside Salinas was shattered by the sound of metal meeting metal. On Abbott Street. a black Nissan Altima traveling south collided head-on with a northbound white Honda CR-V. an impact that claimed the lives of three young people and left the community searching for answers.
By Tuesday. the Monterey County sheriff-coroner’s office released the names of those killed: 19-year-old Abigail Tinoco of Downey. 18-year-old Sebastian Burgos of Downey. and 18-year-old Noah Trevino of Soledad. While three other passengers and the 21- and 20-year-old drivers of the vehicles survived the crash. the loss of these three students has sent shockwaves through their respective campuses.
For the families left behind. the grief has manifested in a frantic scramble to cover the unexpected costs of a tragedy. Relatives of Tinoco. a Downey High School track and cross-country alumna with aspirations of a legal career. launched a fundraiser to manage funeral expenses. Similarly. the family of Burgos—a biology major who had just begun his first quarter at UC Santa Cruz—started a campaign to assist with the financial toll of his death. A third fundraiser has been established for Trevino to help his family navigate lost wages and medical costs associated with the aftermath of the crash.
The human cost is felt acutely at UC Santa Cruz, where administrators officially confirmed Burgos’ enrollment. “We are heartbroken to learn about the death of Sebastian Burgos, a UC Santa Cruz student,” a university spokesperson said. “We offer our deepest sympathies to Sebastian’s family and friends. who are mourning this tragic loss.” The university is currently providing counseling and support services to its faculty and staff as they process the news.
As families mourn, the mechanics of the collision remain under investigation by the California Highway Patrol. While the details of the crash sequence—the Nissan heading south and the Honda heading north—are established. the factors that led to the collision have yet to be disclosed. UCLA officials and California Highway Patrol spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the ongoing investigation.
Monterey County crash Salinas accident Abigail Tinoco Sebastian Burgos Noah Trevino UC Santa Cruz UCLA California Highway Patrol