UPDATE: Woman killed in head-on crash with big rig near Westley

A 20-year-old Southern California woman was killed Thursday afternoon in a head-on collision near Westley, according to the California Highway Patrol.

At about 12:10 p.m., the woman was driving a Hyundai north on Highway 33, north of Stanislaus Road, behind a big rig, CHP Officer Tom Olsen said.

While attempting to pass the big rig, the woman crossed the broken yellow center line and entered the southbound lane, where she collided head-on with another big rig, he said.

The big rig the woman was passing also was hit during the collision.

The woman, from Moreno Valley near Riverside, died at the scene. The big rig drivers were not injured.

“If you are going to pass someone on a two-lane undivided highway, you, first, cannot exceed the speed limit, which there is 55, and you have to leave enough room to safely pass and re-enter the highway,” Olsen said.

He said passing a big rig is even more dangerous because it obscures your line of sight and takes longer; the trailer alone is 53 feet.

Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be a factor in the collision, Olsen said.

Highway 33 in the area of the collision remained closed as of 3:30 p.m.

This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 12:53 PM.