Two men killed in Sunday morning crash in Modesto ID’d by Stanislaus Coroner’s Office
The men killed in a crash in south Modesto early Sunday were identified Monday by the Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office as Pedro Rivera Ruiz, 19, and Nathaniel Junior Perez, 20, both of Modesto.
The single-car crash occurred shortly before 1:30 a.m. at the intersection of South Carpenter and West Hatch roads.
A 2008 Honda Accord was northbound on Carpenter when the driver struck a raised concrete island and then a signal light pole. Both occupants were thrown from the car and died at the scene. It was unclear as of Monday morning which of the young men was the driver.
The crash remains under investigation by the Modesto Police Department. Any witnesses are asked to contact Officer Justin Beverson of the Traffic Safety Unit at Beversonj@modestopd.com or 209-572-9592.
A GoFundMe account to cover funeral expenses for Ruiz says he was “a son, a brother, a cousin, an uncle, a friend. He was the most sweetest and happiest man.”
A GoFundMe page for Perez says, “He was a great son, brother, nephew, grandson, friend and so much more. ... We are all still waiting for Nathaniel to walk in the house with his great smile and hugging everyone who was present. He brought a sense of joy and peace no matter where he shined his light.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2024 at 11:12 AM.
