Driver flees the scene in Delhi crash on Thursday; his passenger died
A 43-year-old woman died in a crash in Delhi on Thursday morning and the driver of one of the vehicles is a person of interest after he fled on foot after the collision.
According to a press release from the California Highway Patrol Merced Division, there were several emergency calls around 8:40 a.m. about a two-vehicle collision in the area of Bloss Avenue and Palm Street. When emergency responders arrived, they extracted the passenger from a 2016 Nissan Sentra and transported her to Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock, where she died.
Her name was not released.
The driver of the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic, later identified as 66-year-old Rosa Olivera of Hilmar, sustained moderate injuries and was transported to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto by air ambulance.
During initial investigation, the CHP reported that 40-year-old Randy Avila of Delhi was driving the Nissan Sentra on southbound Palm near Bloss, where he failed to stop at the stop sign and was hit in the right passenger side in the intersection by Olivera.
After the collision, witnesses reportedly saw Avila run into nearby orchards and a search for the Delhi resident came up empty.
Olivera was not determined to be under the influence of alcohol or/and drugs at the time of the collision.
Avila is a person of interest in the collision and the CHP is still reviewing the incident.
This story was originally published October 8, 2020 at 7:38 PM.
