FATAL CRASH CAUSES OIL SPILL INTO CREEK DRIVER KILLED IN MONDAY MORNING INCIDENT.

Byline: Krystn Shrieve Staff Writer

SANTA PAULA - An oil-tanker driver was killed early Monday when he lost control of his dual rig, hit a ditch and overturned, spilling thousands of gallons of crude oil that drained into nearby Santa Paula Creek and was heading for the ocean.

Patrick J. Hildenbrand, 41, of Ventura had filled his tanks about 7:30 a.m. and was traveling down a one-lane service road in Steckel Park when he crashed into a ravine near Mupu and Pinegrove roads and overturned - about 100 yards short of the creek.

County Medical Examiner Craig Stevens said it appeared the driver was killed on impact.

Andy Oshita, operations manager of the Ventura County Parks Department, said the oil transfer station is on private property, but that the access road runs through the public park. The driver worked for RP Cummings and had just pumped crude oil from Vintage Oil Co., for shipment to a refinery.

Ventura County Fire Department spokesman Joe Luna said one tank ruptured, spewing approximately 4,000 gallons of oil. The second tank, which was still intact, dumped an additional 2,000 gallons. The remainder of the oil was vacuumed out before it could spill.

``The oil followed the natural contours of the ditch and flowed into drainage pipes and into the creek,'' Luna said. ``Our estimate is about 6,000 gallons from both tanks.''

Steve Mattern, an environmental health specialist with Ventura County, said hazardous waste crews set up oil booms on the creek - barriers that keep the oil contained. He said Foss Environmental in Westlake Village built what's known as a weir dam three miles downstream, allowing water below the surface to continue flowing while the oil itself is siphoned off.

``Unfortunately, because of the force of the creek some of the oil bypassed the weir dam and some reached the Santa Clara River,'' Mattern said.

Late Monday afternoon, officials said that an undetermined amount of oil had breached the barriers and was headed for local beaches.

Doug Beach, manager of the county's hazardous materials program, said that drinking water for residents in Santa Paula was not jeopardized.

``The water company got word in time and aren't pulling water from Santa Paula Creek,'' Beach said.

Mattern said the U.S. Department of Fish and Game is taking over cleanup efforts which he estimates will take at least a week.

CAPTION(S):

photo, map

Photo: (color) Firefighters work on the mangled cab of an oil tanker that plunged into a ravine in Santa Paula on Monday, killing the driver and spilling thousands of gallons of crude oil.

Lilly Barrett/Special to the Daily News

Map: Santa Paula