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Monday, Dec. 01, 2008

Man, 24, dies in highway accident near Los Banos

Police say a speeding Ford rear-ended a Honda, killing one and injuring a teen.

LOS BANOS -- A 24-year-old man was killed and a 16-year-old boy received major injuries in a two-car collision Sunday, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The CHP has not released the names of the victims in the collision, reported on westbound Highway 152, near the Merced College Los Banos campus entrance.

The collision was reported at 9:50 a.m. after Gilbert Fuentes, 43, of Los Banos, was driving 50 mph westbound on the highway in his 2004 Ford. Meanwhile, a 2001 Honda driven by Omar Gutierrez, 24, of Fresno, was stopped at a red light. The man who died and the 16-year-old victim were passengers in Gutierrez's car.

According to the CHP, Fuentes, who was traveling at an unsafe speed, failed to see Gutierrez's Honda directly in front of him, rear-ending the vehicle at 50 mph.

A pop-up canopy was kept in the back seat of the Honda. The impact of the rear-end collision forced a leg of the canopy through an ice chest, the driver's seat and the front passenger's seat. The CHP reported that the leg impaled the 24-year-old man through his back, causing immediate death.

The 16-year-old was transported to Memorial Hospital in Los Banos with major injuries. A CHP officer arrived at the scene within one minute of the collision.

Fuentes and Gutierrez both appeared to be without injuries. At least one lane of traffic was closed after the collision, which resulted in delays.

The CHP did not say whether drugs or alcohol were involved in the collision.

Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.