Man killed on Highway 99 in Merced County after stopping to help others

A 28-year-old Merced man who stopped to help the motorists of a crashed vehicle was killed and two drivers were arrested on suspicion of DUI after a series of crashes on a Merced County Highway Sunday morning.

California Highway Patrol officers were dispatched to the first of two crashes in the area of southbound Highway 99, north of Westside Boulevard at 4:10 a.m. Sunday. The CHP said Sincere Collins, 22, of Atwater, was driving southbound on Highway 99 in a GMC Acadia.

Authorities said that for unknown reasons, Collins made an unsafe movement causing the vehicle to crash into the guardrail before coming to rest and blocking the far left lane. The Merced County Sheriff Coroner’s Office identified Abraham Bustos Guzman, 28, of Merced, as the man who authorities said pulled over into the center median to check on Collins and passengers in the GMC.

While Guzman was checking on the motorists, a Honda Civic traveling in the far left southbound lane driven by Yessica Partida, 23, of Merced, collided with the disabled GMC. The crashed caused the GMC to strike Guzman while he was attempting to assist the right front passenger, the CHP said.

The crash caused both the GMC and Honda to block the southbound lanes of Highway 99. Authorities said Guzman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Partida was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and transported to Memorial Medical Center for treatment of moderate injuries.

Collins was arrested on suspicion of DUI and transported to Memorial Medical Center for treatment of moderate injuries, the CHP said. Both of Collins’ passengers in the GMC suffered moderate to major injuries and were transported to Memorial Medical Center and Doctors Medical Center for treatment.

The CHP said both crashes remain under investigation.

According to GoFundMe Regional Spokesperson Alexandra White, a GoFundMe page has been created to help support Abraham’s family.