21-year-old crashes dune buggy into canal west of Gustine; woman missing, CHP says
A 21-year-old crashed a dune buggy into the Delta-Mendota canal early Wednesday, then ran off, leaving three occupants of the vehicle behind, according to the California Highway Patrol.
One of those passengers is unaccounted for, according to a CHP news release.
The driver, Elixandro Naranjo Miranda of Patterson, was eventually located at his residence and arrested.
CHP Los Banos received a call about the incident at 12:06 a.m., according to the news release. The crash happened near Highway 140 at Gravel Pit Road west of Gustine.
According to a CHP investigation, Miranda was driving the dune buggy on the canal bank. He had three passengers: one man and two women.
Miranda drove into the canal at about 10 mph in poor visibility caused by darkness and significant dust, the news release said.
Miranda and two of the passengers were able to get out of the dune buggy, swim to the canal bank and climb out. One of the women is unaccounted for, CHP said.
The two passengers were transported by ambulance for moderate injuries.
The two passengers and an independent witness told CHP officers that Miranda had fled the scene.
Officers responded to the driver’s residence, where Miranda was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Merced County Jail on felony hit and run and other charges.
This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 6:30 PM.
