Collision on Highway 99 claims life of Modesto woman

A head-on collision on Highway 99 south of Merced claimed the life of a 27-year-old Modesto woman at the start of the holiday weekend, the California Highway Patrol reported.

About 4:45 p.m. Friday evening, a silver 2013 Chevrolet Malibu was traveling north on Highway 99 near Plainsburg Road and crossed over to the southbound side, colliding with a blue 1992 GMC Suburban, a statement from the CHP said.

The name of the woman was not immediately available.

According to the CHP, the woman driving the Malibu lost control of the car while she was in the far left lane of the highway. The Malibu rotated and went through the center divider, crossing the left and middle lanes on the southbound side of Highway 99.

In the far right lane, the Malibu collided with the Suburban, the statement said, and despite the driver’s efforts to brake, the front end of the Suburban hit the passenger side of the Malibu.

The driver of the Suburban, a 58-year-old man from Cupertino, was transported to Fresno Community Regional Medical Center and treated for a broken leg and other non-life-threatening injuries, officers reported.

A 26-year-old woman in the passenger seat of the Malibu told officers she wasn’t injured and refused medical attention at the scene.

There was no indication that drugs or alcohol were involved, officers reported.

This story was originally published December 25, 2016 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Collision on Highway 99 claims life of Modesto woman."