CHP says three killed in Merced and Mariposa county crashes

Three people were killed Tuesday in separate crashes in Merced and Mariposa counties, the California Highway Patrol reported.

Two people died around 1:45 p.m. after a head-on collision on Highway 140 near Mariposa, east of Briceburg. Another person was hurt, but no information was available on how serious the injuries were.

A 56-year-old Turlock man died around 2 p.m. near Ballico when his motorcycle crashed into a turning truck, the CHP said.

Officer Moises Onsurez said the rider of a motorcycle tried to pass a sewage tanker truck that was making a left turn. The rider, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene, Onsurez said.

The truck driver, 37-year-old Travis Borrelli of Turlock, was not injured, Onsurez said.

The crash was reported near El Capitan Way, west of Santa Fe Drive in Merced County. The roadway was closed for a short time while emergency responders cleaned up.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation Tuesday.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 3:25 PM with the headline "CHP says three killed in Merced and Mariposa county crashes."