Minor injuries reported in Merced crash

Three people suffered minor injuries Monday in a two-vehicle collision in Merced, the Police Department reported.

Sgt. Jay Struble said the driver of a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier turned left in front of an oncoming 2006 Ford Taurus just before 8 p.m. at G Street and East Yosemite Avenue. The driver of the Chevrolet may have been driving through a red light at the intersection, police said.

The passenger in the Chevrolet, Meza Viviana, 19, of Merced, suffered a minor head laceration and was flown to a Modesto hospital for treatment as a precaution. “Because (Merced’s hospital) isn’t a trauma center, any time there’s a head injury, they’re going to fly to another hospital, even (an injury) that appears to be minor,” Struble said.

The driver of the Chevrolet, Brian Deloera, 20, of Merced, was taken to a Modesto hospital via ground ambulance after complaining of pain, police said.

The driver of the Ford, Alireza Karimaghaloo, whose age was unavailable, also complained of pain and was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Merced, police said.

Neither drugs nor alcohol were factors in the crash, police said.

Both vehicles sustained major damage and were towed from the scene.

This story was originally published February 10, 2015 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Minor injuries reported in Merced crash."