Update: Teen’s body found in aqueduct after Patterson crash. Fundraiser launched
A crash into the California Aqueduct near Patterson early Tuesday morning left a father and his 15-year-old son dead, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP officers responded around 6:31 a.m. to reports of an SUV that had left northbound Interstate 5, north of Sperry Avenue, and entered the aqueduct.
Emergency crews found evidence that a 2003 Nissan SUV, towing a single-axle utility trailer, had entered the aqueduct after leaving the freeway. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Dive Team helped recover the vehicle from the aqueduct.
The driver, Raul Ramirez, was found dead inside the Nissan. The passenger, Ramirez’s 15-year-old son Aaron Ramirez, was missing, according to authorities.
Three days later, around 7:06 a.m., during a scheduled search of the California Aqueduct, CHP was notified that Aaron’s body had been found in the waterway just south of Sperry Avenue. Patterson Fire Department crews recovered his body from the water.
Authorities believe the Nissan SUV was traveling in the fast lane of northbound I-5, just north of Sperry Avenue, when Ramirez made an unsafe turn to the right, moving into the slow lane and off the shoulder. The vehicle then traveled about 1,000 feet down a steep grassy embankment, crashing through two barbed-wire fences before plunging into the California Aqueduct.
It is not yet known whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.
The family has since launched a GoFundMe to support Elvira Ramirez — the wife and mother of the victims — and her surviving son, Isaac Ramirez. The fundraiser has collected more than $12,500 toward its $50,000 goal as of Aug. 12.
“While grieving such an overwhelming loss, [Elvira] is also confronted with unexpected and significant expenses—funeral and memorial costs, time away from work, counseling, and daily living needs for her and Isaac as they navigate life during this difficult transition,” reads the fundraiser page.
This story was originally published August 9, 2025 at 12:26 PM.
