Elderly woman dies in crash in front of Costco shopping center

An elderly woman died following a two-vehicle collision in front of Costco on Pelandale Avenue in north Modesto Friday morning.

Witnesses told police the driver of a Nissan SUV was turning left into the shopping center from eastbound Pelandale on a green arrow when the driver of a westbound Ford Fiesta ran a red light and hit the Nissan, said Modesto Police Officer Daniel Phillips. The crash occurred at about 10 a.m.

The Ford then ran into a sign in the center divide on the west side of the intersection and the Nissan came to rest just east of that in the intersection.

The elderly woman driving the Ford was taken to an area hospital, where she died. She was in her late 80s, Phillips said.

He said a witness told officers the woman was talking immediately after the crash but she was unconscious by the time law enforcement responded.

It remains under investigation whether the woman died as a result of the crash or a medical condition.

The driver of the Nissan sustained minor injuries.

The intersection was closed for about three hours while the Modesto Police Department's Traffic Unit investigated.

This story was originally published July 6, 2018 at 12:08 PM.