Rigoberto Ortega Martinez, 35, tragically killed in King City on Metz Road
KING CITY, Calif. — Rigoberto Ortega Martinez, a 35-year-old King City man was killed Friday evening after his car crossed into oncoming traffic on a rural Monterey County road and collided head-on with a pickup truck, igniting both vehicles in fire, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred at approximately 5:27 p.m. on April 24, 2026, near 43850 Metz Road, north of Spreckels Road, in an agricultural stretch of highway southwest of King City.
What Happened on Metz Road
CHP officers said Martinez was driving a black Ford Fusion southbound on Metz Road when the vehicle veered into the opposing lane for reasons that remain under investigation. The Fusion collided head-on with a gray Dodge Ram traveling northbound.
The force of the impact set both vehicles on fire. Martinez was found on the ground outside the Fusion with injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Dodge Ram was not injured.
A witness who called 911 told dispatchers they had seen one of the vehicles driving in the opposing lane moments before the crash — and that it had nearly struck their own car, according to CHP dispatch logs reviewed by this reporter.
Both vehicles burned completely before tow services arrived. Two flatbed trucks were required to remove what remained of the cars from the scene. County road crews were also called in, and traffic on Metz Road was blocked for several hours while officers worked the scene.
The CHP’s Salinas-area office is leading the investigation. No cause for the lane departure has been released. Investigators have not indicated whether alcohol, drugs, or medical impairment played a role.
A Dangerous Stretch of Road in King City
Metz Road runs through the Salinas Valley agricultural corridor in southern Monterey County, connecting farming communities and rural residential areas near King City. It is a two-lane road with limited lighting and few divided barriers — conditions common to many rural California highways that see elevated crash rates.
California’s rural roadways carry a disproportionate share of the state’s traffic fatalities. According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, rural roads account for a significantly higher fatality rate per mile traveled compared to urban roads, in part because of higher speeds, limited road infrastructure, and longer emergency response times.
In a crash of this severity — two vehicles fully engulfed, one driver dead at the scene — first responders face conditions that make evidence preservation challenging. Burn damage to both cars can affect the ability to retrieve data from electronic event recorders, commonly known as black boxes, which might otherwise help investigators determine speed, braking, and steering inputs in the seconds before impact.
What Comes Next
The CHP investigation is ongoing. Final determination of cause will likely depend on physical evidence from the scene, witness statements, post-mortem toxicology results, and any available electronic data recovered from the vehicles.
Martinez’s family has not made public statements. No information has been released about whether he had passengers in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
For families left behind after a sudden and violent loss on the road, the days following a fatal crash are a collision of grief and logistical demands — medical bills, funeral arrangements, and insurance calls arriving before the shock has lifted.
If You Were Injured in This Crash — or Lost Someone
If you or a loved one have been involved in a crash, or if you lost a family member or friend, you may have legal options worth understanding now.
Under California law, surviving family members — including spouses, children, and financial dependents — can file a wrongful death claim against any party whose negligence contributed to the death. California also follows a comparative fault system, meaning more than one party can share responsibility — and partial fault on the part of one driver does not automatically bar a claim by others affected.
A wrongful death claim in California can seek compensation for funeral and burial costs, medical expenses incurred before death, lost income and financial support, and the loss of companionship and guidance the deceased provided to their family.
California’s statute of limitations for wrongful death claims is generally two years from the date of death under California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, but preserving evidence and beginning the legal process sooner rather than later strengthens a case considerably.
J&Y Law handles wrongful death and serious injury claims throughout California, with offices serving Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Sacramento. Consultations are free, and the firm works on a contingency basis — meaning no fees are charged unless the case results in a recovery.