Fiery crash kills two people near Merced, CHP says. Two passengers injured

A fiery vehicle crash claimed the lives of two people early Thursday morning on Santa Fe Drive just west of Merced, California Highway Patrol reported.

At about 3:05 a.m. a 2005 Toyota Highlander, driven by a 37-year-old Delhi man, was traveling on Santa Fe Drive, east of Franklin Road, at an unknown speed.

The driver lost control of the Toyota and hit a canal embankment, CHP Merced Officer Eric Zuniga said.

The vehicle overturned multiple times and was engulfed in flames, Zuniga said. The driver, along with a 22-year-old Merced woman sitting in the front passenger seat, were killed.

Another passenger, Jasmine Stamps, 22, of Merced, suffered major injuries and was taken by ambulance to Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, Zuniga said.

Passenger Wesley Weeks, 26, of Merced, was taken by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in Modesto for treatment of moderate injuries.

CHP officers were continuing their crash investigation Thursday morning. It’s unknown whether alcohol or drugs were contributing factors.

The roadway was closed for about 2.5 hours after the crash.

This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 9:42 AM.