Boy seriously injured in alleged DUI crash in Hilmar. 2 arrested, including father
A 9-year-old boy suffered major injuries after a head-on crash allegedly caused by a DUI driver in Merced County early Wednesday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The driver and the boy’s father had been drinking prior to the crash, the CHP said, and were both arrested.
The boy was airlifted to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera. His current condition is unknown.
At about 1:54 a.m., the Merced Communications Center received a report of the crash involving two vehicles on Lander Avenue north of Williams Avenue in Hilmar.
While en route, CHP officers were told that medical personnel were performing CPR on the boy, who was unresponsive, a CHP news release said.
A preliminary CHP investigation determined that Jose Ramirez, 31, of Turlock, was driving a 2002 Honda Civic south on Lander Avenue/State Route 165 at an unknown speed. A 66-year-old female from Hilmar was driving a 2025 Chrysler SUV north on Lander at about 55 mph.
Ramirez allowed the Honda Civic to cross into the northbound lane, where it collided head-on with the Chrysler SUV.
The boy, who was a passenger in the Honda, regained consciousness prior to being airlifted to Valley Children’s Hospital, the news release said.
The driver of the SUV suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto for treatment.
Ramirez, the driver of the Honda, suffered minor injuries and was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence, CHP said.
Another passenger in the Honda, Oscar Lopez Campos, 30, of Hilmar, suffered minor injuries. The CHP said Campos is the father of the 9-year-old boy. Campos had allegedly been drinking alcohol with Ramirez prior to the crash, the CHP said.
Campos was arrested at the scene on suspicion of felony child endangerment.
Ramirez and Campos were medically cleared at Mercy Medical Center in Merced prior to being booked into the Merced County Jail, the news release said.
This traffic crash remains under investigation. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information regarding the events leading up to it is asked to contact Officer Edgar Carrillo 209-356-6600.
This story was originally published July 9, 2026 at 10:47 AM with the headline "Boy seriously injured in alleged DUI crash in Hilmar. 2 arrested, including father."
