Merced County crash kills woman, man suffers major injuries

A woman died and a man suffered major injuries after the car they were driving in crashed and overturned south of Highway 152 in Merced County, according to California Highway Patrol.

At about 7 p.m., CHP Los Banos Area officers responded to reports of a vehicle that had overturned into a ditch on eastbound Highway 152, just west of Flanagan Road, Officer Mike Mariscal said. The vehicle traveled to rest about 100 feet south of the highway.

As officers arrived, they saw two people inside the vehicle, a male driver and female passenger, Mariscal said. The male driver suffered major injuries, while the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man was airlifted to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto.

"They do appear to be in their early 20s," Mariscal said. The identity of the fatal victim, including age and place of residence, was not released Tuesday because it was pending notification of next of kin.

Investigators on Tuesday couldn't confirm if alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.

Mariscal said witnesses had reported the vehicle was driving at high speeds. But the cause of the collision was under investigation.

This story was originally published December 26, 2017 at 9:17 PM with the headline "Merced County crash kills woman, man suffers major injuries."