Coroner IDs 2 Men Killed In Separate Collisions Within 2-Hour Span In Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – Two men who died in separate collisions within a two-hour span Wednesday in Santa Cruz County have been identified by the county coroner's office.

Santa Cruz transient Ivan Cornell, 59, was killed in a head-on collision with a big-rig on state Highway 1 north of Upper Swanton Road near Big Basin Redwoods State Park around 6:30 p.m.

Cornell was driving north in a 1999 Toyota Sienna that drifted to the left and into the path of a southbound 2016 Peterbilt big-rig towing a cargo trailer, California Highway Patrol officials said.

The van struck the front of the big-rig, killing Cornell, CHP officials said.

The big-rig driver was a 60-year-old Oxnard man who suffered minor injuries and not arrested in the collision, according to the CHP.

Drugs or alcohol appeared to be a factor in the collision, CHP officials said.

The second collision happened shortly before 8:30 p.m. between a bicyclist and vehicle just north of Highway 1 in unincorporated Soquel, CHP officials said.

Kevin "Jack" Meehan, 31, of Soquel, was on a Bianchi bicycle on Soquel Drive east of Rosedale Avenue where he was struck from behind by a 2006 Audi A4, according to the CHP.

Meehan was ejected from the bicycle and pronounced dead by emergency crews roughly 15 minutes later, CHP officials said.

The Audi driver remained at the scene and wasn't arrested, according to the CHP.

Investigators are looking into whether impairment was involved in the second collision, CHP officials said.

• Also see: Motorist Who Passed Away After Suffering Medical Issue Near Felton ID'd

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