Merced County Car Accident: Nick Leyva, Marie Leyva, and Grandchild Celeste Eliana Leyva, Identified as Victims, Die in Fatal Highway 140 Crash, California
Merced County Car Accident: Three people, including a baby, were killed in a head-on crash in Merced County Friday night.
The California Highway Patrol says 40-year-old Robert Pimentel was driving a Ford Explorer east on Highway 140 when he drifted.
Officials say Pimental tried correcting himself but crossed the yellow line, hitting a Ford Expedition with seven people.
Officers say the 67-year-old driver, a 69-year-old passenger and a three-month-old baby were killed in the crash.
Pimentel and the other four passengers of the expedition were taken to a nearby hospital with moderate to major injuries.
Pimentel was arrested for driving under the influence.
What Happened at the Highway 140 Car Crash?
The crash occurred on Highway 140, east of Kniebes Road, in California.
A suspected drunk driver, identified as Robert Pimentel II, 40, of Newman, was driving a 2002 Ford Explorer pickup truck east on Highway 140. The time of the incident was around 11:10 p.m. on a Friday.
As Pimentel approached a curve in the road, he allowed his vehicle to drift onto the south shoulder.
Pimentel then overcorrected his steering, causing the truck to veer into the opposite lane of traffic.
In the opposing lane, the Ford Expedition, driven by Nick Leyva, 67, was traveling at an estimated speed of 50 miles per hour when it was struck head-on by the Ford Explorer driven by Pimentel.
The force of the impact was significant, causing the Ford Expedition to tumble over onto the north side of the road. During the collision, one person in the Expedition was partially ejected from the vehicle.
The Ford Explorer driven by Pimentel spun and came to rest facing in a westerly direction on the highway.
Tragically, the head-on collision resulted in the deaths of three Gustine residents, including a 3-month-old baby named Celeste Eliana Leyva, along with her grandparents, Nick Leyva and Marie Leyva.
Two teenagers in the Ford Expedition, identified as Crystal Pina, 18, and Gabriella Pina, 15, both from Gustine, sustained major injuries as a result of the crash.
Two other individuals were also in the Ford Expedition, but their names were not initially reported by the California Highway Patrol. Their injuries were described as moderate.
Pimentel, the suspected drunk driver, suffered major injuries and was subsequently airlifted to Memorial Medical Center. It was noted that he was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.
The California Highway Patrol reported that drugs and/or alcohol were factors in the crash, and Pimentel was arrested. However, specific charges against him were not yet available at the time of the initial report.
