Merced woman arrested after DUI crash results in death of teenage daughter, CHP says
A 40-year old Merced woman was arrested after a suspected DUI crash resulted in the death of her 17-year old daughter in Merced, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Officers responded to a single-vehicle, rollover crash at 7:49 p.m. Thursday on West Sandy Mush Road, just west of Combs Road, according to CHP Officer Eric Zuniga.
A 1997 Toyota Camry, driven by Judith Nava of Merced, was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed, officials said. The vehicle drifted over to the right shoulder and the driver lost control and rolled several times.
Nava’s daughter was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle, according to Zuniga. The vehicle came to a stop on its roof, on top of the 17-year old passenger, according to Zuniga. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver’s 22-year-old son was a passenger in the back seat and suffered minor injuries. Nava also suffered minor injuries. Both were wearing seat belts.
Zuniga said alcohol appeared to play a factor in the crash.
Nava was arrested and booked into the Merced County Jail on suspicion of driving without a license, manslaughter and DUI causing great bodily injury. Nava’s bail was set at $160,360, according to jail records.
“If we can remind people to please wear seat belts,” Zuniga said. “We don’t know if the passenger would have avoided serious injury but we know she wouldn’t have been ejected from the vehicle if she was wearing her seat belt.”
This story was originally published March 13, 2021 at 11:41 AM.
