Someone ran a red light in crash involving Merced deputy, police say
Two people who were involved in a crash with a sheriff’s deputy over the weekend were said to be in “critical but stable” condition on Monday afternoon, the Merced Police Department reported.
The 19-year-old driver from Merced, Jonathon Munguia and a 17-year-old passenger were taken to hospitals in Modesto after the crash at around 7:53 p.m. Saturday, Lt. Jay Struble said.
The sheriff’s deputy, Thomas Miller, was released from a local hospital on Saturday evening with some aches and pains, officials said.
Miller and Munguia crashed into each other at the intersection of G Street and Alexander Avenue, police said, “causing extensive damage to both vehicles.”
Miller was driving south on G Street in a 2017 Ford Explorer police car near Alexander Avenue, according to police. Munguia was driving west on Alexander Avenue in a silver 1998 Honda Civic.
The cause of the collision is still under investigation, police said.
“One or the other went through a red light,” Struble said. “We haven’t been able to determine which one at this point.”
Alcohol and drugs are not a factor.
Struble said officers are hoping to obtain surveillance footage from one of the nearby businesses to see if the crash was captured.
Police are asking anyone with information about this accident to contact 209-388-7719 or the department’s Tipster Line at 209-385-4725. People can send anonymous text messages by dialing “TIP411” (847411) and including the word “Comvip” as the keyword in the message.
Merced Sun-Star reporter Brianna Calix contributed to this report.
Monica Velez: 209-385-2486
This story was originally published June 19, 2017 at 6:29 PM with the headline "Someone ran a red light in crash involving Merced deputy, police say."