Noah Trevino, Abigail Tinoco and Sebastian Burgos Killed, Nathan Trevino Injured in Salinas Head-On Accident

Despite Severe Internal Bleeding, Nathan Trevino Reached His Brother Noah’s Side Before the 18-Year-Old Died on Abbott Street

SALINAS, CALIFORNIA (October 30, 2026) – Three young adults identified as Noah Trevino, Abigail Tinoco, and Sebastian Burgos were killed, and Noah’s older brother, Nathan Trevino, was injured in a head-on accident on Abbott Street in Salinas.

Monterey County officials are saying that the crash occurred around 9:04 p.m. on Sunday, October 4. Noah Trevino, 18, and Nathan Trevino, 20, both of Soledad, were riding in a southbound Nissan Altima on Abbott Street near the U.S. Highway 101 off-ramp.

A northbound Honda CR-V drifted across the double yellow lines for unknown reasons and struck the Nissan head-on, according to the CHP. First responders were called, and Honda passengers Abigail Tinoco, 19, and Sebastian Burgos, 18, both of Downey, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Noah Trevino also lost his life, and Nathan was rushed to intensive care with severe internal bleeding. His mother told PEOPLE that Nathan’s only thought was, “I’ve got to get to my brother,” and he reached Noah’s side before the teen died.

The Honda’s 21-year-old driver and another 20-year-old Soledad man in the Nissan were also hospitalized with major injuries. The CHP said alcohol and drugs were not factors, and it was not known whether speed contributed.

Tinoco was a UCLA student and Burgos attended UC Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Relatives have organized a GoFundMe to support the Trevino family.

This was not the first deadly head-on collision on this stretch. In April 2025, two vehicles collided head-on on Abbott Street south of Salinas, killing a 53-year-old Soledad man.

The area has also seen a fatal 2023 collision at Abbott Street and Harris Road. Families may want to know whether the agencies responsible for this corridor have reviewed its crash history or considered centerline rumble strips or physical barriers.

Liability for Salinas Head-On Accidents

California’s Vehicle Code § 21650 requires drivers to keep to the right half of the roadway, and § 21460 bars driving left of double solid yellow lines. Under Evidence Code § 669, violating a safety statute that causes the harm it was meant to prevent creates a presumption of negligence. Roads can share responsibility too, since Government Code § 835 makes public entities liable for dangerous conditions they had notice of and time to fix. Agencies often raise design immunity, but that defense can be lost when crash patterns change and the agency fails to respond. Claims against public entities generally must be presented within six months, and investigators typically examine several factors.

• Lane Discipline: An unexplained drift across a center line can point to inattention, fatigue, or distraction.
• Roadway Design: Narrow lanes, missing rumble strips, or the absence of a barrier can turn a momentary lapse into a fatal collision.
• Prior Notice: A history of similar crashes on the same stretch can show an agency knew or should have known about the danger.
• Agency Response: Courts weigh whether an agency acted reasonably given the time, cost, and practicality of available safety fixes.
• Shared Fault: California’s comparative fault system allows responsibility to be divided among drivers and public agencies.

California courts have long held that a missing barrier can make the state responsible for crossover collisions. In Ducey v. Argo Sales Co. (1979), the California Supreme Court upheld a jury verdict against the state after a car crossed the dirt median of the Nimitz Freeway in Fremont and struck an oncoming vehicle head-on. Records showed 18 cross-median crashes on that stretch from 1964 to 1967, and barrier funding approved in 1968 had been canceled. The court held that a dangerous condition does not escape liability simply because a third party’s negligence also contributed. In Cornette v. Department of Transportation (2001), involving a crash just past the end of a median barrier, the court held that design immunity is not permanent and juries may decide whether an agency lost it by ignoring rising crossover rates.

Preventing Cross-Centerline Collisions on Two-Lane Roads

Nearly 20 percent of fatal roadway departure crashes involve a collision with opposing traffic, according to the Federal Highway Administration. The agency notes most head-on crashes occur on undivided two-lane roads and usually begin with an unintentional maneuver. Research it cites, NCHRP Report 641 (2009), found centerline rumble strips cut head-on and opposite-direction sideswipe injury crashes by 38 to 50 percent on rural two-lane roads. Those results show how inexpensive engineering choices can save lives. Several measures reduce risk where opposing traffic is separated only by paint.

• Rumble Strips: Centerline rumble strips alert drowsy or distracted drivers before their tires cross into the opposing lane.
• Physical Separation: Median, cable, or raised barriers can stop a vehicle from reaching oncoming traffic where volumes justify them.
• Visible Markings: The FHWA notes even light rain can sharply reduce how reflective pavement markings are at night.
• Crash Reviews: Agencies that study collision clusters can prioritize upgrades before more lives are lost.
• Driver Habits: Resting before long drives and keeping phones out of reach reduce the chance of drifting over a center line.

Preventing head-on collisions takes both careful drivers and roads designed to forgive inevitable mistakes. When agencies know a stretch has a history of crossover crashes, the law expects them to respond within a reasonable time. Families who lose loved ones have the right to ask what happened, who knew about the danger, and whether it could have been prevented. California law allows them to pursue accountability against negligent drivers and the public entities responsible for unsafe roads.

Investigating Head-On Accidents in Salinas

We at Feher Law extend our deepest condolences to the families of Abigail Tinoco, Sebastian Burgos, and Noah Trevino, and our wishes for a full recovery to Nathan Trevino. We hope for a full accounting of what caused this crash and for safety improvements that could spare other families the same loss. This crash raises serious safety concerns about a corridor that has already seen deadly head-on collisions. Could stronger separation between opposing lanes on Abbott Street have kept these young people safe?

Have you or a loved one been affected by a head-on or crossover accident in Salinas or elsewhere in Monterey County? Families have a right to a complete and honest account of what happened, including whether the road itself played a role. When a public roadway is involved, the agencies that maintain it hold the collision histories, traffic studies, and design files showing what officials knew and when. Our team of safety advocates and accident investigators can help you understand what happened, from striping and maintenance records to prior crash reports and witness accounts. If you have questions about your rights or would like a free, independent investigation, we’re here for you anytime at (424) 433-4412.