Driver killed in Merced County head-on crash ID’d by authorities
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- Merced sheriff identified 42-year-old Atwater man killed in crash.
- Crash occurred Oct. 7, 2025 on State Route 59 when a Ford Fusion crossed lanes.
- Dump truck driver uninjured; investigation ongoing, no drugs or alcohol suspected.
The Merced County Sheriff Coroner’s Office has Antonio Pena, 42, of Atwater. the driver killed in a head-on collision with a dump truck on Tuesday.
The California Highway Patrol said officers responded to the crash on State Route 59 south of Oakdale Road, at 6:21 a.m.. Authorities said it appears Pena was driving a 2012 Ford Fusion south on Highway 59 when for unknown reasons, the vehicle crossed into the northbound lane.
The Ford then struck a 2026 Western Star dump truck driven by a 30-year-old Merced man in the northbound lane of State Route 59. Authorities said Pena suffered fatal injuries in the crash and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The CHP said the dump truck was operating for a local concrete business and the driver of the dump truck did not report any injuries. Authorities said the collision remains under investigation and neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor in the crash.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the CHP Officer Chad Williams at 209-356-6600.
This story was originally published October 9, 2025 at 5:14 PM.