Motorcycle rider who died after collision with suspected DUI driver near Snelling identified

The Merced County Sheriff Coroner’s Office has identified a motorcycle rider who died following a suspected DUI collision near Snelling on May 31 as 57-year-old Melvin Pryor, according to Deputy Daryl Allen.

At about 8:25 p.m., California Highway Patrol officers responded to Merced Falls Road east of Highway 59 for a two-vehicle collision, according to CHP Officer Eric Zuniga. Authorities said Pryor was riding a 2000 custom motorcycle westbound on Merced Falls Road. At the same time, a 2015 Jeep Cherokee driven by 59-year-old Kevin Dougherty of Snelling, was traveling eastbound on Merced Falls Road.

According to Zuniga, as the two vehicles approached each other, Dougherty attempted to make a left turn into a private driveway directly in the path of the motorcycle. The vehicles collided head-on and Pryor became trapped beneath the Jeep.

Pryor suffered major injuries in the collision and was flown to Memorial Medical Center in Modesto where he died of his injuries on June 1, according to the CHP. Zuniga said officers suspected Dougherty of being under the influence of narcotics and he was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence causing bodily injury.

According to the CHP, neither Dougherty nor his 40-year-old male passenger suffered injuries in the collision which remains under investigation.