MONTEREY COUNTY, CA – Two people died and one was seriously injured in a three-vehicle crash outside Salinas, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The Salinas crash occurred around 4:47 p.m. Thursday on Highway 183, south of Cooper Road. CHP reported that a red sedan waiting to make a left turn was rear-ended by a gray GMC SUV, which pushed the sedan into an oncoming semi-truck.
The sedan’s passengers, 31-year-old Aristeo Cruz Jimenez of Port Hueneme and 35-year-old Marcos Cruz Alia of Salinas, were pronounced dead at the scene by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. The sedan’s 20-year-old driver was hospitalized with serious injuries.
The GMC driver, a 19-year-old woman from Salinas, initially fled the scene but was later located. CHP stated that drugs or alcohol are not believed to be factors in the crash. It remains unclear whether any charges will be filed against the driver.
