Victim battles for life

A 19-year-old Turlock man sustained life- threatening injuries during a two-vehicle crash Wednesday when a 60-year-old Riverbank woman swerved into his sport utility vehicle on McHenry Avenue north of Modesto, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Mauricio "Mo" Alaniz was in surgery at Memorial Medical Center on Wednesday afternoon, said investigating CHP officer Thomas Gowin. Alaniz, a freshman guard on the Modesto Junior College basketball team, suffered severe head trauma. His condition wasn't available from the hospital Wednesday night, but coach Paul Brogan said he was in critical condition.

Cherry Crawford was driving south on McHenry in a 1993 Ford Bronco approaching Kiernan Avenue just before 11 a.m. when she began to veer into the northbound lane, witnesses told the CHP. One northbound vehicle swerved onto the eastern shoulder to miss the Bronco, Gowin said.

Crawford then slammed into Alaniz's GMC Jimmy near Chow Chow Lane, just north of the McHenry Golf Center. Although neither driver was speeding, the impact speed was 80 to 90 mph, Gowin said. It appeared neither Alaniz nor Crawford applied brakes, he said.

Both vehicles spun and landed on opposite shoulders. The drivers, both of whom wore seat belts, were trapped in their vehicles and had to be removed by rescue workers before being taken to hospitals.

Crawford's injuries were serious but didn't appear life-threatening, Gowin said. He said there were no signs that alcohol or drugs played a role.

McHenry was closed for about an hour.

Bee staff writer Emilie Raguso can be reached at eraguso@modbee.com or 578-2235.