UPDATE: Driver killed in Highway 108 crash identified as Turlock woman
The woman who died in a head on crash east of Oakdale on Friday morning was identified as Turlock resident Norma Garcia, according to the Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office.
The 27-year-old woman became the 22nd person this year to die on Stanislaus County roads within the jurisdiction of the California Highway Patrol.
According to the CHP, the crash was reported at 6:10 a.m. on Highway 108 east of Lancaster Road.
“Emergency personnel arrived on scene and located a Volkswagen sedan and an International box truck with major collision damage blocking the eastbound traffic lane,” the CHP said in a news release.
Garcia died at the scene.
The other driver, identified by the CHP as Eusebio Ponce, 56, of Santa Clara, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.
Garcia was driving the 2006 Volkswagen west on 108, approaching a bend in the road, when she allowed her vehicle to enter the eastbound traffic lane, directly in front of the box truck, the CHP said. The vehicles collided head-on, coming to rest in the eastbound traffic lane.
The investigation into the crash is continuing, and it is not yet known whether drugs and/or alcohol contributed to this collision.
The state Department of Transportation was summoned to the collision scene and provided one-way traffic control for passing motorists. The road was reopened at 9:12 a.m.
Garcia’s death was the 22nd traffic-related fatality investigated by the CHP this year, compared with 12 at this point in 2020, said Officer Tom Olsen. The CHP recently launched a “zero tolerance” effort to fight the increase in fatal crashes.
“Every single one of our fatalities is a result of a driver making a bad decision behind the wheel of their vehicle,” Olsen said. “Whether it is driving under the influence, speeding, distracted driving, etc., the driver put themselves or someone else in peril. “
Olsen said the CHP encourages drivers to obey all laws and drive safely, “respecting the lives of those who they share the roadway with.”
“Always make sure you and your passengers are wearing their seat belts.,” he said. “They are designed to save your life when involved in a traffic collision. Drive and stay alive, Central Valley.”
This story was originally published April 30, 2021 at 10:10 AM.
