Highway 99 Modesto crashes: 2 kids hurt, 1 driver missing, 1 driver arrested, CHP says
A “mess” of a scene on Highway 99 in Modesto early Sunday included four related collisions that sent two children to hospitals, have authorities seeking a driver who fled and got another driver arrested for DUI, according to the California Highway Patrol. One of the two girls hurt suffered major injuries and was flown to an out-of-county hospital.
The crashes happened within minutes of one another, all at the same spot on southbound Highway 99 just north of the Beckwith Road/Standiford Avenue interchange, CHP Modesto office spokesman Officer Thomas Olsen said Monday.
The first was about 2:05 a.m. when the southbound driver of a 2005 GMC SUV veered left and struck a center divider, Olsen said. The driver got out and fled the scene, leaving the unoccupied SUV with its rear end partially blocking the fast lane.
About a minute later, a 2006 Honda sedan southbound in the fast lane struck the SUV and came to rest in the center divide. The incident summary gives no indication the driver, Allan Maliones of Modesto, was injured, Olsen said, but the two children in the sedan with him were.
Right front seat passenger Arianna Maliones, 13, who was wearing a seat belt, complained of chest pain and was taken by ambulance to Memorial Medical Center for treatment, Olsen said.
Rear passenger Rosabella Maliones, 8, was lying down on back seat and not wearing a seat belt, the officer said. She suffered a fractured right femur and was taken to the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento by Calstar helicopter. The freeway was closed for about 10 minutes to allow the helicopter to land and take off, Olsen said.
The third crash occurred about 2:08 a.m. when Ryan Coats of Turlock, driving a 2020 Hino tow truck, saw the darkened GMC, which still was partially in the fast lane, too late to avoid hitting it, Olsen said. Coats swerved, but the front of his truck struck the SUV. Coats apparently was unhurt.
And the fourth crash was about 2:10, when Stockton resident Juan Humberto, 26, was southbound in the fast lane in a 2021 Toyota van. He swerved into the center lane to avoid striking the GMC but ended up hitting the rear of Coats’ tow truck, Olsen said. Coats already had gotten out of the truck so was not involved in that collision.
Humberto complained of pain in his right hand but refused treatment, Olsen said. He showed signs of intoxication, so officers conducted a sobriety test, found him under the influence of alcohol and placed him under arrest.
Olsen said the incident again proves that properly wearing safety restraints saves lives and reduces injuries. If the 8-year-old had not been lying down, unbelted, in the rear of the Honda, there is a good chance her injuries would have been less severe, the officer said.
This story was originally published August 31, 2020 at 9:39 AM.
