Three men killed in Merced County collision west of Los Banos identified by coroner

Two men from Chowchilla and a third from Dos Palos were identified as the people killed last week in a crash west of Los Banos.

Jaime Romo Islas, 42, and Roberto Romo Islas, 38, both of Chowchilla, and Francisco Javier Sandoval Rodriguez, 31, of Dos Palos, died after the Feb. 14 crash, according to Merced County sheriff’s Deputy Alexandra Britton.

Authorities said Jaime and Roberto are brothers.

California Highway Patrol officers responded to the collision about 4 p.m. in the area of Highway 152 and Hilldale Road. According to authorities, the three men were driving west along the highway, west of Hilldale, in a 2016 Toyota Tacoma.

Aaron Lam, 21, of Long Beach, was going the opposite direction, the CHP stated, in a 2021 Mercedes when he lost control of the car, veered across the median and overturned on top of the Tacoma.

Authorities said the three men were pronounced dead at the scene and Lam was taken to Doctor’s Medical Center in Modesto with major injuries.

Debris struck another vehicle but those inside were not injured, according to the CHP.