Woman killed in West Olive Avenue crash identified by Merced County coroner

The woman killed in a three-vehicle crash Monday on Olive Avenue in Merced has been identified by authorities as 61-year-old Merced resident Carmen Torres Hernandez.

Torres Hernandez was driving a white 1994 Toyota Camry at about 2 p.m. Monday, making a left turn from Austin Avenue onto West Olive Avenue, when her vehicle was struck by a 2001 Toyota Tundra traveling east, police said.

Paramedics arrived and attempted to treat Torres Hernandez. But she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her identity was released by the Merced County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office Tuesday morning.

The condition of the driver of the Toyota, identified as 72-year-old Merced resident Dan Gruych, was unknown at the time of the collision. No injuries were reported from a third vehicle that received minor damage from the collision.

Neither alcohol nor drugs appeared to be factors in the collision, police said, noting the investigation remained under investigation.

This story was originally published December 10, 2019 at 12:02 PM.