Turlock pedestrian in hit-and-run crash dies of her injuries
Jennifer Metzger, the 20-year-old Turlock victim of a hit-and-run crash Monday night, died Wednesday from her injuries, the Stanislaus County Coroner's Office confirmed Thursday morning.
Earlier in the week, her older brother Daniel Metzger commented on a Modesto Bee Facebook post, "She's not doing well. I'm just thankful pd got the guy that did this to my little sister."
He added in a direct message Wednesday night, "Unfortunately my sister succumbed to her injuries today from the wreck. In my personal opinion I hope the guy that did this gets a serious prison term. He took my baby sister from me."
Friday morning, Daniel Metzger shared with The Bee additional thoughts on his sister. "Jenny was an all-out good girl. She loved and cared for everyone. My kids are devastated at the loss of her. ... She loved anything outdoors, and her dog Babygirl was number one to her. Big-time animal lover.
"We set up a gofundme and I think my parents want to set up a car wash fundraiser. Unfortunately my dad can't attend due to recent heart problems and being forced into retirement. She was my dad's favorite kid ever. Total daddy's girl. I'm going to miss her so much."
The crash occurred at 9:45 p.m. Christmas on Center Street just south of F Street, just outside Turlock in the unincorporated area of Stanislaus County.
Metzger was walking southwest across Center Street when Turlock resident Mario Ambriz, driving a 2000 Toyota, was driving north and failed to see her ahead of him, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Ambriz's passenger, 24-year-old Riley Adam Dunn of Turlock, got out of the Toyota and walked back to check on Metzger's condition, the CHP reported. Witnesses said that as Turlock police arrived on scene, Dunn got back in the vehicle and Ambriz, 53, drove off.
An officer gave other responding police units the description of the Toyota and the direction it fled. Ambriz was located and stopped a short distance away. He was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the CHP said.
Metzger suffered head trauma, the CHP reported, and was taken to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto, where she died Wednesday.
Ambriz and Dunn were not injured. Ambriz was booked at the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center.
The Sheriff's Department's in-custody report shows he remained in custody Thursday, with bail set at $25,000. It says he faces charges of hit-and-run causing injury or death, being an unlicensed driver and having no proof of insurance. He is set to appear in court Jan. 3.
On whether Ambriz now will face a charge of vehicular manslaughter, District Attorney's Office spokesman John Goold said in an email Thursday, "Whenever a victim dies in a situation like this, we always review any existing criminal complaint to see whether the charges should be amended. We will certainly do that here."
This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 8:58 AM with the headline "Turlock pedestrian in hit-and-run crash dies of her injuries."