Update: Camp Taylor mourns young woman killed in Stanislaus crash. GoFundMe set up
Camp Taylor on Sunday identified the young woman killed in a collision on West Grayson Road as she pulled out of its driveway.
Modesto resident Avery Roxanne Millerick, 19, died at the scene of the crash in the Grayson area Saturday.
“With heavy hearts and deep love, we invite you to join us in honoring our precious Avery, ... whose bright light was taken from us far too soon,” Camp Taylor posted on its Facebook page. “As many of you know, we experienced a heartbreaking and unexpected loss early Saturday morning. “
The post says a candlelight vigil will be held in the camp parking lot, 8224 W. Grayson Road, Monday at 7 p.m. “to celebrate Avery’s beautiful spirit and surround her memory with light and love.”
A GoFundMe.com page established to aid Millerick’s family reads in part, “Avery had just begun her journey at Northridge University, where she was pursuing her passion for Cinema and Television Arts. She was a bright, compassionate young woman who dedicated her time to helping others. She volunteered her time as a counselor at Camp Taylor, where she made a lasting impact on the lives of children with heart conditions.
“We are raising funds to support her mother, Ciara Walsh, during this unimaginable time. All donations will go directly toward funeral expenses and to help Ciara navigate the difficult road ahead. “
The account has an $80,000 goal and had raised more than $27,000 as of Monday afternoon.
Shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday, the California Highway Patrol got a call of a collision involving two vehicles on West Grayson Road at Shiloh Road, according to a news release.
Officers found two vehicles — a Kia sedan and a big rig — with major damage. Millerick, the Kia driver, was pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver of the International tractor-trailer combo was uninjured.
The investigation determined that Millerick was traveling north on a driveway at 8224 W. Grayson, which terminates at the intersection Grayson and Shiloh. The driveway is that of Camp Taylor, a nonprofit, medically supervised camp for children with heart disease and their families.
The CHP’s preliminary investigation found that the Merced man driving the semi-truck was eastbound on Grayson, approaching the Shiloh intersection. Millerick pulled from the driveway directly into the path of the International and was struck broadside.
Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts.
Camp Taylor launched in Stanislaus County in 2002. The nonprofit used various rented sites while working to establish a home of its own. In 2016, it purchased its site, a former county jail work camp near Grayson, but the transition was slowed by the remodeling needs and then COVID-19.
The current, permanent location hosted its first overnight visitors in 2022.
This story was originally published June 22, 2025 at 10:22 AM.
