1 dead, 8 injured in Merced County crash

One man was killed and eight people injured Friday in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 152, east of Los Banos in Merced County, officers from the California Highway Patrol reported.

Officers identified the man who died in the crash as 24-year-old John Gaviola, according to a news release.

Gaviola was the driver of a Toyota Highlander, carrying five passengers. Two 17-year-old girls from Los Banos in the Highlander suffered unspecified major injuries and were flown to hospitals in Modesto, officers said in the statement.

Also in the Highlander were: Reggae Gaviola, 22; Anne Magundayao, 19; and Musique Cabaltejo, 27. All three suffered unspecified injuries and were taken to Memorial Hospital Los Banos.

Emiliano Parafox, 49, of Chowchilla was the driver of a Ford F-150 pickup and was also reported to have major injuries. An unnamed passenger declined medical treatment at the scene and said he would seek his own treatment, authorities said.

Andrew Crawforn, 36, of Morgan Hill was the driver of a Ford F-350 pickup. Officers said he had moderate injuries. He was also taken to the Los Banos hospital, authorities said.

Investigators said Parafox was headed east around 2:35 p.m. on Highway 152 just west of Highway 33 and lost control of his vehicle, crossing the median into the westbound traffic lanes where he collided with the Highlander driven by John Gaviola. Parafox’s pickup overturned, officers reported.

Gaviola was pronounced dead at the scene, officers said.

Crawforn, who was also headed west, crashed into Parafox’s vehicle.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation late Friday.

Neither drugs nor alcohol were believed to have been factors, investigators said.

This story was originally published July 3, 2015 at 8:37 PM with the headline "1 dead, 8 injured in Merced County crash."