A fatal traffic collision Sunday afternoon caused both westbound lanes of Hwy. 152 to close for approximately 40 minutes while emergency crews treated the injured parties, according to an incident report from the California Highway Patrol. The accident happened east of the Santa Clara County line near Los Banos.
At 2 p.m., 60-year-old Carolina Chavira from Gustine was traveling eastbound in a 2006 Chevy on Hwy. 152 at 65 miles per hour, the report states. Officers say Chavira “allowed” her vehicle to drift off the north side of the roadway and travel across the center median into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on into a 2002 Toyota driven by 70-year-old George Warren, “who was unable to avoid a collision,” CHP officers report.
Warren sustained fatal injuries and was transported to the Merced County Coroner’s Office. His wife, 69-year-old Roberta Warren who was riding in the front passenger’s seat, sustained moderate injuries and was taken to Memorial Hospital in Modesto. Chavira also sustained moderate injuries and was transported to Doctor’s Hospital in Modesto, according to the CHP.
