Merced jogger seriously injured after being struck by vehicle, police say

A woman was flown to a regional trauma center with serious injuries after she was struck by a vehicle in Merced on Wednesday, according to authorities.

At 5:42 a.m., officers responded to the area of Whitewater Way and Narvaez Way, just southeast of McKee Road and Yosemite Avenue, according to Merced police Sgt. Nathan McKinnon.

Officers arrived on scene and found the 42-year-old jogger, who was experiencing numbness to part of her body and had a significant laceration to her head, according to police.

McKinnon said it appears the woman was jogging west along Narvaez Way and ran out directly in front of a Dodge Ram truck traveling south on Whitewater Way.

According to McKinnon, Narvaez Way is controlled by a stop sign at the intersection while Whitewater Way is not. The woman was flown to a Modesto area trauma center with serious but not life-threatening injuries, according to police.

The driver of the Dodge, 29-year-old Syed Sarwar Jr., of Merced, remained on scene and cooperated with officers.

McKinnon said neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in the collision which remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the collision is asked to contact Officer Crain at 209-388-7754 or by email at crainl@cityofmerced.org.