Dos Palos woman killed in head-on collision with tractor in Merced County

A driver was killed Wednesday in a head-on collision with a tractor north of Dos Palos, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The Merced County Sheriff Coroner’s Office identified the driver killed in the collision as 50-year-old Martina Lopez Valdez of Dos Palos, according to Deputy Daryl Allen.

CHP officers responded to the collision in the area of Turner Island Road and Palazzo Road at 6:26 a.m..

The arriving officers located a 2015 Chevrolet Spark and a 2017 Challenger tractor with an attached furrow chisel, within the west shoulder of Turner Island Road, north of Palazzo Road.

According to the CHP, Joaquin Hernandez, 54, of Dos Palos, was driving the tractor northbound on Turner Island Road after entering the traffic lane from the west shoulder.

Authorities said due to the width of the tractor, the vehicle consumed the majority of both the northbound and southbound lanes of Turner Island Road.

Lopez Valdez was driving the Chevrolet southbound on Turner Island Road at an unknown speed.

Authorities said that due to factors including darkness, the width of the tractor and limited lighting, the front of the Chevrolet collided head-on with the left side of the tractor’s furrow chisel.

Cal Fire personnel arrived on scene and pronounced Lopez Valdez deceased, according to the release.

The CHP said neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in the collision.