UPDATE: Patterson man identified as driver is solo vehicle fatal crash
The body of a man who was ejected from a vehicle in Patterson was discovered in an almond orchard Wednesday morning, possibly several hours after he crashed.
Julio Garcia, 22, was northbound on Highway 33 when he lost control on a curve in the road where railroad tracks cross it south of Eucalyptus Avenue, said Patterson Police Services Chief Josh Clayton.
Garcia’s vehicle overturned multiple times and landed three rows deep into the orchard.
A bystander found his body at about 7:15 a.m. but investigators estimate the crash occurred several hours before that, Clayton said.
Visibility was low in the area throughout the night due to heavy fog. Speed is believed to have contributed to the crash, Clayton said.
He said this is the second fatal crash in Patterson in less than a week.
On Friday, Maria Zavala-Medina, 61, of Patterson, died in a crash at Highway 33 and Las Palmas Avenue around 4 a.m. Clayton said she ran a red light and was hit by another vehicle.
This story was originally published December 23, 2020 at 9:12 AM.
