RSM Man ID'd In Fatal Ferrari Crash That Tore Car In Half In Santiago Canyon

SANTIAGO CANYON, CA — A 71-year-old man died Friday afternoon while driving on Santiago Canyon, California Highway Patrol officials reported Monday.

The man, identified as Rancho Santa Margarita resident Robert Joseph Nicoletti, was driving south at about 3:40 p.m. Friday at a "high rate of speed" on Santiago Canyon Road when he failed to "navigate the curvature in the roadway" and veered into oncoming traffic, CHP Officer Anselmo Templado said.

He slammed into two cars, Templado said. Nicoletti's Ferrari hit head-on into a Toyota Venza driven by a woman identified as Pauline Bui. He then crashed head-on with a Mazda driven by Daniel Ryan, authorities said.

Nicoletti was thrown out of the Ferrari, which split in two, ABC 7 reported.

Bui was taken to Orange County Global Medical Center with minor injuries, and a passenger in Bui's car was taken to Mission Hospital to be treated for minor injuries, the report said. Ryan was also taken to Mission Hospital for minor injuries.

Santiago Canyon was closed in both directions for about five hours, reports said.

City News Service contributed to this report.