UPDATE: CHP identifies drivers in Thursday’s Highway 101 crash

UPDATE 4/10/15 5:20 p.m.: California Highway Patrol has identified both drivers in Thursday’s crash on Highway 101 in Salinas.

Officers said the big rig driver was Thomas Olson, 54, of Florida. They said Olson may have had a medical episode just before the crash.

Officers said the driver of the Kia was Moses Garcia, 33, of Salinas.

UPDATE 4/10/15: California Highway Patrol said the driver Kia driver is expected to survive but he has a spine injury that could leave him paralyzed.

UPDATE 4/9/15 10:35 p.m.: Traffic on Highway 101 through South Salinas in back to normal, hours after a big ripped flipped, crushing another car. That crash put the drivers of both vehicles in the hospital, but miraculously they are still alive. At last check, both drivers were taken to Natividad Medical Center with major injuries. They could’ve been a lot worse, if it weren’t for some unlikely heroes at the right place, at the right time.

The California Highway Patrol doesn’t know why the Florida-based driver of this Penske moving truck hit a barrier and swerved into oncoming traffic. It ultimately landed on this four door sedan, trapping a 33-year-old man inside. Workers in a nearby field and passerby’s sprang into action.

“I don’t know, this guy, maybe he sleeping,” Oscar Hernandez said. “I don’t know what happened so, only to see the accident. The truck is coming down and slide.”

“They happened to be in the area, they saw what happened, and they immediately took action,” Jaime Rios, CHP spokesperson said. “They saw that there was a vehicle underneath and out of concern for the person that was in the car, they and everyone else rushed to try and get everything out of the big rig to help the person that was in the car.”

The crash snarled the afternoon drive home for hours. While southbound lanes were congested, traffic moved through. However, northbound traffic was rerouted for most of the evening while the truck was unloaded. What made the cleanup so much more time consuming is moving the personal belongings from one truck to another.

But after five hours, the truck was righted and towed away. Yet the investigation continues into what caused the big rig driver to hit and barrier in the first place.

The crash also caused a fire. When the big rig hit the barrier, sparks ignited nearby brush. Fire crews had the fire out within 20 minutes.

Big rig accident on Highway 101 near Salinas crushes car

UPDATE 4/9/15 8:50 p.m. Northbound lanes on Highway 101 remain closed as crews work to remove the big rig from the scene.

UPDATE 4/9/15 5:59p.m.: Northbound lanes are still closed, southbound lanes are opened but slow moving.

Crews say they will have to clean everything out of the trailer before up-righting the big rig.

CHP officers want to stress avoiding that area of 101 if you for the majority of the night.

UPDATE 4/9/15 4:50p.m.: CHP officers say a Penske truck was going southbound on 101 near the Abbott exit, lost control, hit the center divide, moved into the northbound lanes, and eventually landed on a Kia sedan.

Officers say nearby farm workers saw the crash, jumped into action and started tearing into Penske truck’s trailer to get to the driver of the Kia.

Fire crews were finally able to free the trapped driver and he was taken to Natividad Medical Center with major head injuries. The driver of the big rig was also taken to the hospital.

A small fire started when the truck hit the barrier, but was quickly put out.

Traffic detours and delays are still in place.

UPDATE 4/9/15 4:27p.m.: CHP says the number two lane of 101 is closed northbound at Spence Road. Traffic is being diverted on to Abbott and back on to 101 at Sanborn Road. There is an opening in the closure at Hartnell for people Hartnell for traffic going in to Salinas.

The victims are being taken to the hospital now, no word on extent of injuries.

There is significant traffic backed up on southbound 101 in and around the area even though those lanes are still open.

4/9/15 3:53p.m.: CHP officers and emergency personnel are on scene of a big rig accident just south of Salinas near the Abbott Street exit on Highway 101.

The accident happened just after 3:30p.m. Thursday afternoon, when witnesses say a big rig landed on top of another car and there may be as many as three people trapped in that car.

There is also now a brush fire in the center divide of the highway as a result of the accident.

Highway 101 northbound is closed at Hartnell Road.

News Channel 5 has a crew on the scene and will bring you updates as them become available.