Authorities identify drivers killed in fiery Interstate 5 crash in Merced County

The Merced County Sheriff Coroner’s Office has identified the drivers involved in a fiery double fatal collision that occurred on Interstate 5 last month, as Juan Jose Cosio Gomez, 58, of San Jose and Kristopher Rose, 18, of Pleasant Hill, according to Deputy Michael Domingue.

The California Highway Patrol said officers responded to a report of a crossover head-on collision in the southbound lanes of I-5, north of Volta Road, at about 12:51 a.m. on Oct. 30. The CHP said it appeared a 2008 Honda Accord was traveling in a northbound lane when for unknown reasons, it left the roadway and traveled across the dirt median into the southbound lanes.

The vehicle collided head-on with a 2017 Isuzu box truck and the vehicles came to rest blocking the southbound lanes of I-5 where they both caught fire. Authorities said both southbound lanes of I-5 were closed for just over an hour following the collision and the number two traffic lane remained closed until about 6:30 a.m.

Fire crews responded to the collision to extinguish the flames and both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the CHP. Authorities said it appeared both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time and the cause of the collision is under investigation.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Los Banos area CHP office at 209-826-3811.