Woman killed in accident after driver falls asleep, CHP says

A 44-year-old woman from Salinas was killed in a single-vehicle crash on the way to visit a family member in jail on Sunday evening, according to California Highway Patrol officials.

At about 6:15, 19-year-old Daniel Sancheztorres of Salinas was driving a 2004 Expedition on Sandy Mush Road east of Gurr Road, Officer Eric Zuniga said. Sancheztorres and three other passengers were headed toward John Latorraca Correctional Facility when he fell asleep at the wheel.

“They were almost there,” Zuniga said.

Sancheztorres drifted to the right side of the road, Zuniga said, and then crossed to the left and again to the right while he was trying to gain control of the vehicle. The vehicleoverturned multiple times and rolled into a field, he said.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was sitting in the back seat on the right side, Zuniga said. She wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, he said, and during the crash she was ejected from the car.

Sancheztorres suffered moderate injuries and was flown to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, Zuniga said. Alcohol or drugs wasn’t a factor, he said, and Sancheztorres does not have a driver's license but has a driver's permit.

A 25-year-old passenger in the front seat, Francisco Sanchez Pintor of Salinas, declined medical attention according to Zuniga. Sanchez Pintor’s 6-year-old daughter was also in the car, he said, sitting in the back middle seat.

The 6-year-old was flown to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera and complained of abdominal and leg pain, Zuniga said.

The driver, front passenger and young girl were all wearing seat belts, Zuniga said.

This story was originally published May 29, 2017 at 2:56 PM with the headline "Woman killed in accident after driver falls asleep, CHP says."